ATP

The cell’s energy currency…

Structure of ATP

• Adenine base.
• Ribose sugar.
• 3 phosphate inorganic groups
“Pi”.

N.B:
Adenine+Ribose=Adenosine
 Energy transfer

• Energy is stored, by condensation reaction, in the bonds between the

phosphate groups, especially the last “third” one.

• Energy is released, by hydrolysis reaction, breaking the bonds and releasing the
phosphate groups.

• 34kj/mole.
 Where does the energy needed to make the bonds come from?

• Catabolic
reactions, breaking
down molecules,
such as glucose…

• Redox reactions.

The ATP formation is reversible, where ADP combines with pi to form ATP, and then ATP breaks to ADP and
PI.
The enzyme responsible for both directions is called ATPase.
But where did the glucose get
the energy from ???
 Photosynthesis

6CO2+6H2O—light&chlorophyll—>C6H12O6+6O2
Structure of chloroplast

• Envelope containing stroma ( uid

inside the envelope).

• Stroma contains enzymes needed

for photosynthesis (discussed later).

• Grana in matrix, each granum is

made of membrane discs called
“thylakoids”.

• Grana connected by lamellae.

• Photosynthetic pigments arranged
on the thylakoid membranes.
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Photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll)
Function: trapping light energy.

• Chlorophyll a
• Chlorophyll b
• Carotenoids: carotene and xanthophyll
• Phaeophytin
•
NB: each type has an absorption spectrum, which determines the
action spectrum of the type.
Absorption
spectrum.

A graphical
representation of the
amount of light
absorbed, by a pigment,
at a range of light
wavelengths.
 Action
spectrum.

A graphical
representation of the
amount of
photosynthesis
happening, at a range of
light wavelengths.
Absorption and action spectra are closely related, since photosynthesis depends on the amount of
light absorbed.
Chromatography
Used to separate the di erent pigments in a chlorophyll, then Rf values are compared to gure out the
type of pigments present…
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Rf calculation

• Measure distance travelled by

solvent “a”

• Measure distance travelled by

pigment “b”

• Rf= b/a
 Photosystems
PhotoSystem I “PSI”& PhotoSytem II “PSII”

• The photosynthetic pigments are

arranged in clusters called
photosystems, or PS for short.

• PSI(700nm), has a peak, at a slightly

di erent area of the absorption
spectrum from PSII(680); this is
because each PS has a di erent
combination of photopigments.

• PSI is present mainly on the

membranes of the grana.

• PSII is present mainly on the lamellae.

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