PHOTOSYNTHESI

S
OUTLINE
 Introduction to photosynthesis
 Structure of chloroplast
 Photosystem, 1,2
 Light dependent reaction - cyclic, non cyclic
 Light independent reaction (also known Dark
reaction or calvin cycle)
 Photorespiration (inefficient)
 C4 pathway and CAM pathway
 Comparison
Photosynthesis

 Takes place in chloroplasts in green plants

 Chloroplasts are found primarily in mesophyll
cells
 Anabolic reaction – uses CO2 as carbon source and
light energy as energy source.
 6CO2 + 6H2O  C6H12O6 + 6O2
 Two stages:
 Light-dependent reaction (Light reaction)
 Non-cyclic photophosphorylation
 Cyclic photophosphorylation
 Light-independent reaction (Calvin cycle)
OVERVIEW
Light Dependent Reaction/ Light reation
 Non Cyclic Photophosphorylation
 Photosystem II and photosystem 1
 Forms ATP, NADPH, O2

 Cyclic Photophosphorylation
 Photosystem 1
 Only forms ATP
Both non cyclic and cyclic photophosphorylation
Photosynthesis

Photosystem 2
Non cyclic (P680) and
1(P700)
Light dependent
Photosystem 1
Cyclic
(P700)
Photosynthesis

Calvin cycle
Light independent
(Dark reaction)
Photosystem Chlorophyll a(blue
green) – absorb blue
and red light

Chlorophyll b (yellow
green) – absorb blue
and orange)
Light harvesting
complex

Xantophyll (Yellow)

Carotenoid – absorb
Photosystem 2 and 1
blue and orange range.

Special chlorophyll a
molecules

Antenna complex

Primary electron
acceptor (pheophytin)
1. Non cyclic photophosphorylation
Non-cyclic photophosphorylation
 Light energy trapped by the pigment molecules of the antenna
complex in the photosystem II (PSII).
 Energy chanelled to P680 and become photo activated(energy level
rise)
 Electron escape to Primary electron accepter leaving electron hole.
 Electron hole replaced by electron from photolysis of water.
 2e transferred down energy level.
 PEA  plastoquinone cytchrome B6F
complexplastocyninP700 of PSI (1st ETC)
 H+ will be pumped into lumen of thylakoid at cytchcrome B6F
complex creating proton gradient
 ATP will be produced by chemiosmosis.
 At the same time, photon trap by antenna complex
at PS1 and channeled to P700
 P700 become photoactivated
 2e excited to PEA
 PEA Ferredoxin  NADP+ reductase(2nd ETC)
 NADP+ will be reduced to NADPH here.
 Non cyclic
Photophosphorylation
Light Independent Reaction / Dark reaction
 Starts
with RuBP, ends with RuBP
(Ribulose biphosphate, 5C compound)
 Involves 3 phases:
 i – Carbon fixation
 ii – Reduction (Sugar production)
 iii – Regeneration of RuBP
Photorespiration
 O2 uptake in the chloroplasts caused by
fundamental “inefficiency” of Rubisco.
 Rubisco accepts O2 instead of CO2
 Happens when conditions too dry or too hot that
stomata close
 Undergro oxygenase reaaction instead of
carboxylase reaction
 Instead of getting 2 PGA for efficient
photosynthesis, photorespiration will only obtain 1
PGA(3C) and 1 phosphoglycolate(2C) which will
undergo series of reaction to produce CO2.
Alternative mechanism of carbon
fixation
 C4pathway (Hatch Slack pathway)
 CAM pathway (takes place in cytosol)

 Both uses different enzyme to initially capture

CO2 and prevent photorespiration that decrease
the rate of photosynthesis
C4 Plants
 Because oxygen acts as a competitive inhibitor for Rubisco,
photosynthesis in C3 plants is reduced in the presence of
oxygen
 C3 plants are less efficient in hot and dry regions, as stomata
must remain closed to prevent excessive water loss
 When stomata are closed, O2 cannot diffuse out of the leaf,
increasing O2 concentration relative to CO2
 In these hot and arid conditions, other types of plants have
evolved to limit the exposure of Rubisco to oxygen
 C4 and CAM plants uses the enzyme PEP carboxylase to
combine CO2 to a 3C compound (PEP) and make a 4C
compound oxaloacetate
 C4 has Kranz anatomy – Mesophyll cells arranged
concentrically around bundle sheath cells.
 First, oxaloacetate covert to malate and malate enter bundle
sheath cells
 Malate  pyruvate releasing CO2 to increase the CO2 conc
because bundle sheath cell has low oxygen concentrations.
 Then pyruvate  PEP. Requires ATP. Cycle will start again.
 PEP carboxylase has a higher affinity for CO 2 than Rubisco
and doesn’t bind to oxygen at all
C4 pathway
CAM pathway
 CAM plants are adapted to arid environments where water
loss is high and stomata must remain closed during the day
 The CO2 is converted into a 4C compound oxaloacetate
during the night, when stomata are open and CO2 is able to
diffuse into the leaf
 Oxaloacetate malate. Stored in vacuole in malic acid form.
 During day Malic acid  malatemalic acidpyruvate and
release CO2.
 This allows reserves of CO2 to be created for use during the
day, when stomata are closed and O2 cannot be released
 Carbon dioxide reserves are created in order to improve CO2
binding to Rubisco
CAM pathway