G5 AQUINO, Shiela Mae B.

November 13, 2017

12 St. Jacinta Marto

RESEARCH WORK #2

The light-dependent reactions

How light energy is used to make ATP and NADPH. Photosystems I and II. Reaction
center chlorophylls P700 and P680.

Introduction

Plants and other photosynthetic organisms are experts at collecting solar energy,
thanks to the light-absorbing pigment molecules in their leaves. But what happens
to the light energy that is absorbed? We don’t see plant leaves glowing like light
bulbs, but we also know that energy can't just disappear (thanks to the First Law
of Thermodynamics).

As it turns out, some of the light energy absorbed by pigments in leaves is

converted to a different form: chemical energy. Light energy is converted to
chemical energy during the first stage of photosynthesis, which involves a series
of chemical reactions known as the light-dependent reactions.

In this article, we'll explore the light-dependent reactions as they take place
during photosynthesis in plants. We'll trace how light energy is absorbed by
pigment molecules, how reaction center pigments pass excited electrons to an
electron transport chain, and how the energetically "downhill" flow of electrons
leads to synthesis of ATP and NADPH. These molecules store energy for use in the
next stage of photosynthesis: the Calvin cycle.
 Overview of the light-dependent reactions

Before we get into the details of the light-dependent reactions, let's step back
and get an overview of this remarkable energy-transforming process.

The light-dependent reactions use light energy to make two molecules needed
for the next stage of photosynthesis: the energy storage molecule ATP and the
reduced electron carrier NADPH. In plants, the light reactions take place in the
thylakoid membranes of organelles called chloroplasts.

Photosystems, large complexes of proteins and pigments (light-absorbing

molecules) that are optimized to harvest light, play a key role in the light reactions.
There are two types of photosystems: photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII).

Both photosystems contain many pigments that help collect light energy, as well
as a special pair of chlorophyll molecules found at the core (reaction center) of
the photosystem. The special pair of photosystem I is called P700, while the
special pair of photosystem II is called P680.

Here are the basic steps:

 Light absorption in PSII. When light is absorbed by one of the many pigments in
photosystem II, energy is passed inward from pigment to pigment until it reaches
the reaction center. There, energy is transferred to P680, boosting an electron to
a high energy level. The high-energy electron is passed to an acceptor molecule
and replaced with an electron from water. This splitting of water releases the \text
O_2O2O, start subscript, 2, end subscript we breathe.

 ATP synthesis. The high-energy electron travels down an electron transport chain,
losing energy as it goes. Some of the released energy drives pumping

of \text H^+H+H, start superscript, plus, end superscript ions from the stroma into
the thylakoid interior, building a gradient. (\text H^+H+H, start superscript, plus,
end superscript ions from the splitting of water also add to the gradient.) As \text
 H^+H+H, start superscript, plus, end superscript ions flow down their gradient and
into the stroma, they pass through ATP synthase, driving ATP production in a
process known as chemiosmosis.

 Light absorption in PSI. The electron arrives at photosystem I and joins the P700
special pair of chlorophylls in the reaction center. When light energy is absorbed
by pigments and passed inward to the reaction center, the electron in P700 is
boosted to a very high energy level and transferred to an acceptor molecule.
The special pair's missing electron is replaced by a new electron from PSII (arriving
via the electron transport chain).

 NADPH formation. The high-energy electron travels down a short second leg of
the electron transport chain. At the end of the chain, the electron is passed to
NADP^++start superscript, plus, end superscript (along with a second electron
from the same pathway) to make NADPH.

REFERENCESS:

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-independent_reaction

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-biology/chapter/overview-of-
photosynthesis/
G5 AQUINO, Shiela Mae B. November 13, 2017
12 St. Jacinta Marto

RESEARCH WORK #3
LIGHT INDEPENDENT REACTION
Light-independent reactions take place in plant chloroplasts. In this
process sugars are made from carbon dioxide. The process, known as the Calvin
cycle, uses products of the light-dependent reactions (ATP and NADPH) and
various enzymes. Therefore, the light-independent reaction cannot happen
without the light-dependent reaction. Sugars made in the light-independent
reactions are then moved around the plant by translocation. Takes places in the
grana region of the chloroplast.

The Calvin cycle

1. A sugar (Ribulose biphosphate or RuBP) made of 5 carbon atoms combines

with carbon dioxide to form a 6-carbon sugar (phosphoglycerate). An
enzyme called RuBisCO speeds this reaction up.
2. Phosphoglycerate is reduced with hydrogen atoms from the light-
dependent reaction to form two molecules of triose phosphate (each has
3 carbon atoms). ATP is needed for this to happen.
3. Some triose phosphate is converted (using ATP) back into Ribulose
Biphosphate (which is why this is called a cycle).
4. The rest left over is used to produce glucose.
The sum of reactions in the Calvin cycle is the following:
3 CO2 + 6 NADPH + 5 H2O + 9 ATP → glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P) +
2 H+ + 6 NADP+ + 9 ADP + 8 Pi (Pi = inorganic phosphate)

Regeneration stage of the Calvin cycle

The overall equation of the Calvin cycle (black circles represent carbon atoms)

REFERENCES:
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-biology/chapter/overview-of-
photosynthesis/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-independent_reactions
G5 AQUINO, Shiela Mae B. November 13, 2017
12 St. Jacinta Marto

RESEARCH WORK #4

Similarities & Differences of Light dependent and Light independent reaction/

Calvin cyle:

DIFFERENCES:

The light dependent reactions consist of chlorophyll molecules absorbing a

photon (hence light dependent) that causes electrons in the molecule to be
raised to a higher energy level and pass down the electron transport chain, which
makes energy available to produce ATP. The loss of electrons causes the splitting
of water (known as photolysis) into 2H+, 1/2 O2 and electrons, which replace
those lost by the chlorophyll. The electrons that flowed through the electron
transport chain combine with the hydrogen ions from water and NADP to form
NADPH + H+. These reactions occur on the thylakoid membranes , and the light
independent reactions consist of the Calvin cycle where CO2 is fixed by
combining with RuBP to form 2GP, and then uses the products of the light
dependent reactions to form GALP, which can be converted into many different
products.

SIMILARITIES:

The two stages of photosynthesis: Photosynthesis takes place in two stages:

light-dependent reactions and the Calvin cycle (light-independent reactions).
Light-dependent reactions, which take place in the thylakoid membrane, use
light energy to make ATP and NADPH.The light-independent reactions (calvin
cycle) use the energy-carrying molecules (ATP and NADPH) from the light-
dependent reactions along with absorbed carbon dioxide to form glucose. The
light dependent reactions consist of chlorophyll molecules absorbing a photon
(hence light dependent) that causes electrons in the molecule to be raised to a
higher energy level and pass down the electron transport chain, which makes
energy available to produce ATP.

REFERENCES:
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-independent_reaction

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-biology/chapter/overview-of-
photosynthesis/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-independent_reactions
 G3 ANGELES, Maecel M. November 13,
2017
12 St. Jacinta Marto

RESEARCH WORK 2

LIGHT DEPENDENT REACTION

In a process called non-cyclic photophosphorylation (the "standard" form of the

light-dependent reactions), electrons are removed from water and passed
through PSII and PSI before ending up in NADPH. This process requires light to be
absorbed twice, once in each photosystem, and it makes ATP . In fact, it's called
photophosphorylation because it involves using light energy (photo) to make ATP
from ADP (phosphorylation). Here are the basic steps:

 Light absorption in PSII. When light is absorbed by one of the many pigments in
photosystem II, energy is passed inward from pigment to pigment until it reaches
the reaction center. There, energy is transferred to P680, boosting an electron to
a high energy level. The high-energy electron is passed to an acceptor molecule
and replaced with an electron from water. This splitting of water releases the \text
O_2O2O, start subscript, 2, end subscript we breathe.

 ATP synthesis. The high-energy electron travels down an electron transport chain,
losing energy as it goes. Some of the released energy drives pumping of \text
H^+H+H, start superscript, plus, end superscript ions from the stroma into the
thylakoid interior, building a gradient. (\text H^+H+H, start superscript, plus, end
superscript ions from the splitting of water also add to the gradient.) As \text H^+H
+H, start superscript, plus, end superscript ions flow down their gradient and into
the stroma, they pass through ATP synthase, driving ATP production in a process
known as chemiosmosis.
 Light absorption in PSI. The electron arrives at photosystem I and joins the P700
special pair of chlorophylls in the reaction center. When light energy is absorbed
by pigments and passed inward to the reaction center, the electron in P700 is
boosted to a very high energy level and transferred to an acceptor molecule.
The special pair's missing electron is replaced by a new electron from PSII (arriving
via the electron transport chain).

 NADPH formation. The high-energy electron travels down a short second leg of
the electron transport chain. At the end of the chain, the electron is passed to
NADP^++start superscript, plus, end superscript (along with a second electron
from the same pathway) to make NADPH.

REFERENCES:
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-biology/chapter/overview-of-
photosynthesis/

https://www.google.com.ph/search?dcr=0&tbm=isch&q=process+of+light+inde
pendent+reactions&chips=q:process+of+light+independent+reactions,online_c
hips:calvin+cycle
G3 ANGELES, Maecel M. November 13, 2017
12 St. Jacinta Marto

RESEARCH WORK 2
LIGHT INDEPENDENT REACTIONS

Light-independent reactions take place in plant chloroplasts. In this

process sugars are made from carbon dioxide. The process, known as the Calvin
cycle, uses products of the light-dependent reactions (ATP and NADPH) and
various enzymes. Therefore, the light-independent reaction cannot happen
without the light-dependent reaction. Sugars made in the light-independent
reactions are then moved around the plant by translocation. Takes places in the
grana region of the chloroplast.

The Calvin cycle

1. A sugar (Ribulose biphosphate or RuBP) made of 5 carbon atoms combines

with carbon dioxide to form a 6-carbon sugar (phosphoglycerate). An
enzyme called RuBisCO speeds this reaction up.
2. Phosphoglycerate is reduced with hydrogen atoms from the light-
dependent reaction to form two molecules of triose phosphate (each has
3 carbon atoms). ATP is needed for this to happen.
3. Some triose phosphate is converted (using ATP) back into Ribulose
Biphosphate (which is why this is called a cycle).
4. The rest left over is used to produce glucose.
The sum of reactions in the Calvin cycle is the following:
3 CO2 + 6 NADPH + 5 H2O + 9 ATP → glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P) +
2 H+ + 6 NADP+ + 9 ADP + 8 Pi (Pi = inorganic phosphate)
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-independent_reaction

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-biology/chapter/overview-of-
photosynthesis/

https://www.google.com.ph/search?dcr=0&tbm=isch&q=process+of+light+inde
pendent+reactions&chips=q:process+of+light+independent+reactions,online_c
hips:calvin+cycle
G3 ANGELES, Maecel M. November 13,
2017
12 St. Jacinta Marto

RESEARCH WORK 2

Similarities & Differences of Light dependent and light independent reaction/

Calvin cycle:

DIFFERENCES:

 The light dependent reactions consist of chlorophyll molecules absorbing a

photon (hence light dependent) that causes electrons in the molecule to
be raised to a higher energy level and pass down the electron transport
chain, which makes energy available to produce ATP. The loss of electrons
causes the splitting of water (known as photolysis) into 2H +, 1/2 O2 and
electrons, which replace those lost by the chlorophyll. The electrons that
flowed through the electron transport chain combine with the hydrogen
ions from water and NADP to form NADPH + H+. These reactions occur on
the thylakoid membranes, and the light independent reactions consist of
the Calvin cycle where CO2 is fixed by combining with RuBP to form 2GP,
and then uses the products of the light dependent reactions to form GALP,
which can be converted into many different products.

SIMILARITIES:

 The two stages of photosynthesis: Photosynthesis takes place in two stages:

light-dependent reactions and the Calvin cycle (light-independent
reactions). Light-dependent reactions, which take place in the thylakoid
membrane, use light energy to make ATP and NADPH. The light-
independent reactions (Calvin cycle) use the energy-carrying molecules
(ATP and NADPH) from the light-dependent reactions along with absorbed
carbon dioxide to form glucose. The light dependent reactions consist of
chlorophyll molecules absorbing a photon (hence light dependent) that
causes electrons in the molecule to be raised to a higher energy level and
pass down the electron transport chain, which makes energy available to
produce ATP.

REFERENCES:
https://www.mytutor.co.uk/answers/313/A-Level/Biology/What-s-the-difference-
between-the-light-dependent-and-independent-reactions
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-biology/.../overview-of-
photosynthesis/