Photosynthesis

Who Photosynthesizes?
•Plants, Algae, and
Cyanobacteria
•All contain the pigment Green algae
chlorophyll (but cyanobacteria
do NOT have chloroplasts,
since they are prokaryotes)

Cyanobacteria
The Leaf in Cross-section
Waxy Cuticle

Upper Epidermis

Palisade Mesophyll

Spongy Mesophyll

Lower Epidermis

Guard Cell Vein

Stomata
Review
Cuticle:
• Clear, waxy layer made by epidermis
• Prevents against water loss

Epidermis:
• Transparent cell layer
• Allows for light to penetrate to the
photosynthetic cells
Review
Palisade Mesophyll
• Single layer of tightly-packed cells
• Cells contain many chloroplasts
• Main area for photosynthesis

Spongy Mesophyll
• Several layers of loosely-packed cells
• Air spaces allow for gas and water storage
Review
Vein
• Contains Xylem and Phloem tissue, to
transport water and sugar, respectively

Stomata
• Pores in epidermis to allow water and gas
exchange
• Surrounded by guard cells that control their
opening
• Water is lost from the leaf via stomata
through transpiration
 The Chloroplast
Lamella (connector)

Note:
Chlorophyll
molecules are
embedded in the
thylakoid membrane
 Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR)
* Visible Spectrum is
between 380-750 nm

Photons

• LIGHT – travels in waves, in bundles of energy

called photons
• Different waves of light will have different
wavelengths and varying energy
 Wavelength vs Frequency
• Wavelength = distance between 2 peaks in a wave
• The shorter the wavelength, the more energy a
photon has
– Blue light(shorter) = more energy
– Red light (longer) = less energy

This wave of light has more

energy – short wavelength,
high frequency

This wave of light has less

energy – long wavelength,
low frequency
 Seeing colour
• The colour an object appears depends on the colours of light it reflects.
– A red book reflects red light
– A green plant reflects green light
• Absorbs energy from other colours using pigments, such as chlorophyll

White
light
Green light is
reflected
Plant Pigments
•Accessory pigments
absorb other colors of
light (green) that
chlorophyll can't absorb
- helps boost energy
absorption.

Pigment Colour Function

Chlorophyll a Blue-green Main Photosynthetic pigment
Chlorophyll b Yellow-green Photosynthetic Pigment
Carotene Orange Accessory Pigment
Xanthophyll Yellow Accessory Pigment
Rhodoxin Red Accessory Pigment
Light Absorption in Leaves

•Chlorophylls Chlorophyll b
absorb light
best in the Chlorophyll a

violet-blue and
orange-red
regions of the
spectrum
Overview of
Photosynthesis
Light CO2

Chloroplast NADP+
ADP + P

Light- Calvin
Dependent Cycle
Reactions
ATP
NADPH

Sugars
O2
 3 stages of Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is divided
into 2 main stages:

• Capturing light energy

Light-Dependent
• Using the light energy to Reactions
make ATP and NADPH

• Using the energy from Light-

ATP and NADPH to Independent
make organic molecules Reactions
Light-Dependent
Reactions
 Light-Dependent Reactions
• Occur on the thylakoid
membrane
• convert light energy into
chemical energy in the
form of ATP & NADPH.
• Involve 2 clusters of
pigments:
– Photosystem I
– Photosystem II
Photosystem I (PS I)
• Cluster of pigments in thylakoid membrane
• Contain high amounts of chlorophyll a
• Absorbs light best at 700 nm
• Also called P700

Photosystem II (PS II)

• Cluster of pigments in thylakoid membrane
• Contain high amounts of chlorophyll b
• Absorbs light best at 680 nm
• Also called P680
 Non-Cyclic Photophosphorylation

PSII*
The e- at the higher
energy level (PSII*)

2 e-

Light

PSII light hits PSII and excites

2e-, which jump to a
higher energy level
Non-Cyclic Photophosphorylation
•PSII is now oxidized and
PSII*
will split water and take its
2e- (O2 is released as
waste)

2 e- •H+ ions are pumped into

the thylakoid’s lumen and
Light accumulate

•This creates a
PSII concentration gradient
great enough for the H+
H2O
ions to pass back through
2H+ + ½ O2
ATP synthase and drive
ATP production
Non-Cyclic Photophosphorylation
PSII* Meanwhile, the
excited 2e- at
2e-
PSII* are
2e- passed along a
2e- series of
2 e-
2e- electron carriers
via redox
Light PSI
reactions to PSI

PSII

H2O 2H+ + ½ O2
 Non-Cyclic Photophosphorylation
PSI*

•While light hit

PSII* PSII, it also hit
2e- PSI.
2e-
•2 e- got excited
2e- and jumped to PSI*
Light
2 e-
2e- •PSI is now
2e- oxidized and will
accept the 2e-
Light PSI
from PSII

PSII

H2O 2H+ + ½ O2
 Non-Cyclic Photophosphorylation
NADP+
PSI*
NADPH

PSII*
•PSI* will pass the
2e- 2e -
2e- to NADP+
2e- •NADP+ will also
Light accept an H+ from
2e-
2 e- ATP synthase to
2e- become NADPH
Light PSI

PSII

H2O 2H+ + ½ O2
Cyclic Photophosphorylation
•Light hits PSI
PSI* and 2e- jump to a
2e-
higher energy
level (PSI*)
PSII*
•The e- are then
2e- 2e -
passed to PSII*
2e- •The e- pass along
Light the electron
2e-
carriers to PSI
2e- Result: no NADPH
made, but ATP is
PSI
made
 Summary of Light-Dependent
Reaction:
• makes ATP, O2 (from H2O), and
NADPH
– ATP provides energy for carbon fixation
– NADPH provides energy, H+, and e- for
carbon fixation
Light-Independent
Reactions
• Also called the Calvin Cycle
• May occur in light or dark
• Occur in the Stroma
• Use ATP and NADPH from light-
dependent reaction to build sugars
• CO2 is reduced to CH2O
 Calvin Cycle
3 Steps:
1. Carbon Fixation
2. Reduction
Reactions
3. RuBP
regeneration
 1. Carbon Fixation
3 H2O
3 CO2
3 CO2 combine
6 molecules of
with 3 RuBP and 6 PGA PGA (3-C) are
3 H2O (C3) formed

3 RuBP (C5)

this reaction is catalyzed by

the enzyme rubisco (slow
reaction…so lots of rubisco
needed)
 2. Reduction Reactions
•Each molecule 3 CO2
of PGA obtains a
phosphate from 6 PGA 6 ATP
ATP to make 1,3- (C3)
BPG 6 ADP
•NADPH reduces
each molecule of
1,3 BPG to form 6 NADPH
G3P (a 3-C sugar) 3 RuBP (C5)
•One G3P leaves 6 NADP+
the cycle to build
bigger sugars 1 3-C sugar

5 G3P

(C3)
 3. RuBP regeneration
3 CO2
The remaining
5 G3P are 6 PGA 6 ATP
rearranged to (C3)
make 3 RuBP 6 ADP
3 ATP are used

6 NADPH
3 RuBP (C5)
6 NADP+

1 3-C sugar
3 ADP
3 ATP
5 G3P

(C3)
 Calvin Cycle (summary)
CO2 Enters the Cycle

Energy Input

5-Carbon
Molecules
Regenerated
6-Carbon Sugar
Produced

Sugars and other compounds

The Reactions of Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis

includes

Light-
dependent Calvin cycle
reactions
takes place in uses
use take place in

Energy from Thylakoid Stroma ATP NADPH

sunlight membranes
to produce to produce
of

ATP NADPH O2 Chloroplasts High-energy

sugars
Requirements for
Photosynthesis…
The factor farthest from its optimal
value will limit the rate of
photosynthesis. If the limiting factor is
brought nearer to its optimal value, the
rate of photosynthesis will increase until
something else limits it.
 Light requirement
• Each plant has a
maximum intensity of
light it can use for
photosynthesis
• Increasing light
intensity will
increase the rate of
photosynthesis, but
will plateau at a
maximum point
Temperature requirement
• Photosynthetic
enzymes have optimal
temperature ranges in
which they are
effective
• The rate of
photosynthesis will
decline outside these
ranges
 CO2 requirement
• There is a maximum
concentration of CO2
a plant can utilize, as
well
• Photosynthesis will
increase with
increasing CO2
concentration, but will
plateau at a maximum
point
 Water requirement
• Plants need H2O for the light
dependent reaction.
• Therefore, if the soil is lacking
water, the rate of photosynthesis will
decline