The Calvin Cycle Flashcards
(49 cards)
Calvin cycle involves
11 enzyme catalyst reactions that use NADPH to reduce CO2 to glucose through 3 turns. Endergonic
Calvin cycle reaction
1 CO2—1C6H12O6
After 3 turns
A G3P molecule is produced. 2 of these are needed to make one glucose
3 phases
They each happen during every turn. Fixation, reduction, and regeneration
Fixation
A carbon from CO2 is fixed to ribulose 1,5 biphosphate (RuBP) to produce 2 3 carbon 3 phosphoglycerate
Reduction
3-Phosphate glyceride gets a p from ATP becoming ADP producing 1, 3 Biphosphate glyceride. Sodium electrons from NADPH reduces them to G3P
Regeneration
A multistep process where 5 carbons rearrange to from RuBP
In 3 turns
3 CO2 + 3 RuBP— 6 3phosphoglyerides using 6 ATP.
Next step in 3 turns
6NADPH + 1, 3 phosphoglycerate— 6G3P molecules. Using ATP 5 G3P are turned into 3 RuBP
Overall
One extra G3P is produced and 9 ATP and 6 NADPH were used
Monosaccharides next steps
Becomes a disaccharide like sucrose or a polysaccharide like starch or cellulose , or consume G3P and change
Things G3P can become
Amino acids, fatty acids, lipids in the cytoplasm or cytosol
Sucrose
Glucose linked to fructose. Most common product to circulate from cell to cell. Stores organic molecules
RuBP
Most common protein on earth making up 50% of plant protein. Catalyzes the fixation of CO2.
Rubisco
A very slow enzyme
Rubisco shape
Cube with 8 small and 8 large sub units
Large subunits
Active site with defined bonding sites for CO2 and RuBP
Small subunit
Regulatory by not a catalyst
Rubisco synthesis
Uses genes from 2 different genomes. Large subunit encoded in the chloroplast and the small encoded in the cytosol, and then imported to the chloroplast for unification
Why is rubisco slow?
It is not only an enzyme for CO2, but also photo respiration
Photorespiration
Oxygen bonds with rubisco and a 2 carbon compound from the cytoplasm is made into CO2 using ATP
Rubisco evolution
Long time ago because many bacteria and archaea have them
Why does rubisco accept oxygen
In its evolutionary phase there was little oxygen present therefore it was not a problem the enzyme needs to fix
Oxygen and rubisco
A competitive inhibitor in a process called oxygenase