CHAPTER 6

PHOTOSYNTHES
IS
6.1 OVERVIEW OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Equation for photosynthesis:

6 CO2 + 12H2O + 18 ATP + 12 NADPH C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 6H2O +18 ADP + 18 Pi + 12 NADP+

OR
Light Energy
6 CO2 + 6H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2
Carbon dioxide Water Chlorophyll Glucose Oxygen
Structure of of Chloroplast
Stage in Photosynthesis

Importance of Photosynthesis
i. Building blocks for complex compound in plant such as starch, cellulose and lignin
ii. Provide energy needed for chemical changes in the form of ATP
iii. Provide food to primary consumer
iv. Help reduce excess carbon dioxide (CO2) and increase oxygen (O2) concentration in
the air

6.2 Absorption Spectrum of Photosynthetic Pigments

Photosynthetic Pigment

✔ 2 types of photosynthetic pigment:

(a) chlorophylls
E.g. chlorophyll a (bluish green pigment), chlorophyll b (yellowish green pigment)
(b) carotenoids
E.g. xanthophyll (yellow pigment), carotene (orange pigment), phaeophytin (grey
pigment).
Role of Photosynthetic Pigment in Photosynthesis
✔ The pigments are organized into photosystem
✔ Two types of photosystem: Photosystem I and Photosystem II
✔ Each photosystem consists of a light-harvesting system and reaction centre
Photosystem

6.3 LIGHT DEPENDENT REACTION

LIGHT DEPENDENT REACTION

● First stage of photosynthesis
● Light energy is converted to chemical energy (ATP & NADPH)
● Consist of non-cyclic photophosphorylation and cyclic photophosphorylation
● Take place in the thylakoid membrane
● The photosystem is embedded in the thylakoid membrane.

Light dependent reaction involving THREE stages:

Mechanical analogy of the light dependant reaction.
NON-CYCLIC PHOTOPHOSPHORYLATION
 CYCLIC PHOTOPHOSPHORYLATION

Compare and contrast cyclic photophosphorylation and non-cyclic

photophosphorylation.
Cyclic photophosphorylation Non-cyclic photorespiration
Similarities
1 Production of ATP by chemiosmosis
.
2 Both involved PSI // Light Dependent Reaction
.
Differences
1 Cyclic electron flow Non-cyclic electron flow
.
2 No NADPH produced NADPH produced
.
3 Only ATP produced ATP and NADPH produced
.
4 Involve Photosystem I / PSI /P700 Involve Photosystem I and Photosystem
. II
5 Electron source : PS I reaction center Electron source: water
.
6 Photolysis does not occur Photolysis occurs
.
7 Last ē acceptor : PSI Last ē acceptor : NADP+
.
6.4 LIGHT INDEPENDENT REACTION OR CALVIN CYCLE

3 Phases Involved in Light Independent Reaction:

1. Carbon fixation
2. Reduction
3. Regeneration of RuBP
 Calvin cycle
QUESTION: Fill in the blank with the correct sequences

Phase 1: Carbon Fixation

1 3 molecules of CO2 are attached to a 3 molecules of 5-carbon sugar,

Ribulose bisphosphate [RuBP].
4 Forming two molecules of 3-phosphoglycerate, PGA (for each unstable 6 carbon
intermediate).
3 Unstable 6-carbon intermediate immediately splits into half
2 Forming unstable 3 molecules of 6-carbon intermediate. Catalyzed by enzyme
RuBP carboxylase / Rubisco.

Phase 2: Reduction
2 Forming 6 molecules 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate (3C).
1 6 molecules PGA(3C) is phosphorylated by 6 molecules ATP.
4 1 molecule Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P) leaves the cycle to form sugar and
other organic substances.
5 5 molecules G3P continue with 3rd phase
3 6 molecules NADPH is required to reduce 6 molecules 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate to 6
molecules Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P)
Phase 3: Regeneration of RuBP
2 It involved phosphorylation process.
1 5 molecules G3P (3C) rearranged to form 3 molecules RuBP (5C).
3 3 ATP are used in this phase.
6.5 ALTERNATIVE MECHANISM OF CARBON FIXATION:
HATCH-SLACK (C4) CRASSULACEAN ACID METABOLISM (CAM)

a) Plant Strategy to Minimize Photorespiration

3. C4 Plant (Hatch-Slack Pathway)

QUESTION: By referring to the Figure below describe the mechanism that reduces
photorespiration in C4 plants. [12 marks]
 To reduce photorespiration, C4 plant have Krantz anatomy leaf. It consist of
mesophyll cells which is arranged concentrically around the bundle sheath cells which
also have chloroplast.
CO2 is fixed twice by two different pathway. The first CO2 fixation is known as C4 /
Hatch-Slack pathway which occur in mesophyll cell. The second CO2 fixation is known as
Calvin cycle, occurs in bundle sheath cells.
In Hatch-Slack pathway, CO2 will bind to phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) to form the
first product, oxaloacetate (OAA). This process is catalysed by PEP carboxylase, which
has high affinity to CO2. It can fix CO2 even when the concentration is very low.
OAA is reduced to malate. Then malate is transported to bundle sheath cell via
plasmodesmata. Malate undergo decarboxylation to produce CO2 and pyruvate. CO2 will
combine with RuBP and undergo Calvin cycle. Pyruvate returns to the mesophyll cell and
phosphorylated to PEP by using energy from ATP.
The ability of PEP carboxylase to bind with CO2 at low concentration can increase
the CO2 in bundle sheath cell. Thus enable Rubisco to fix instead of O2 with RuBP and
enters Calvin cycle. Tendency for photorespiration can be reduced.
2. CAM Plant (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism)
 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN C3 AND C4 PLANTS PATHWAY
Differences C3 C4 CAM
CO2 fixation Occurs once Occurs twice: Occurs twice:
First in mesophyll cells First during night
second in Second during day
Bundle sheath cells
CO2 acceptor Ribulose Mesophyll cells: During night:
Bisphosphate Phosphoenol pyruvate Phosphoenol pyruvate
(RuBP) (PEP) (PEP)
Bundle sheath cells : During day:
Ribulose Bisphosphate Ribulose
RuBP Bisphosphate RuBP
CO2 fixing RuBP carboxylase Mesophyll cells: During night:
enzyme PEP carboxylase PEP carboxylase
Bundle sheath cells:
 RuBP carboxylase During day : RuBP
carboxylase
First product 3-phosphoglycerate Oxaloacetate Oxaloacetate
formed (PGA)
Bundle sheath Non photosynthetic/ Photosynthetic/ possess Non photosynthetic/ no
cells no chloroplast chloroplast chloroplast
First product of 3-phosphoglycerate Oxaloacetate (OAA) Oxaloacetate (OAA)
photosynthesis
Photorespiration High/ more Low/ less/ none Low/ less/ none
Leaf anatomy ‘Krantz’ anatomy ‘Krantz’ anatomy present. Krantz’ anatomy
absent. Bundle sheath is absent.
Bundle sheath is surrounded by a ring of
surrounded by loosely closely packed palisade
packed spongy mesophyll
mesophyll
Example of Paddy, soybean Sugar cane, corn Cactus, pineapple
plant