anatomical and physiological differences btw leaves of C3 and C4 plants

characters C3 leaf C4 leaf

Mid-rib Prominent and big Not prominent
Anatomy krantz It’s not exhibited Exhibited
mesophyll 2 types: palisade, mesophyll Usually only 1 type
Bundle sheath It’s absent or not prominent Prominent
Chloroplast 1 type is found in 2 different 2 types: 1 each in mesophyll,
mesophyll bundle sheath
Vascular bundle It’s a network of different Parallel type of 2 sizes
sizes
Supporting It uses collenchyma Sclerenchyma
tissue
Stoma density More on the lower epidermis Equal on both epidermis

C02 fixation 1 type, C3cycle 2 type, C3, C4

1st product of p= PGA oxaloacetate
O2 inhibitation high Low O2 inhibitation
photorespiration a higher rate A low rate
Max rate of p= This can be achieved with A higher max is obtained with
lower light intensity higher light intensity
Effect of T railes No change at high T 50% higher rate of higher T
from 25C-35C
Compensation Requires more CO2 Just requires few CO 2 to
point achieve
Water loss A lot of water is lost during Little water
p=
efficiency Less efficient more
eg Rice, wheat

Differences btw C4 and CAM

C4 CAM
Family Grammineae Occurs in Crussulaeae
example Maize, corn, sugarcane Cactus, pineapple
Cells involved 2 types : mesophyll , bundles 1 type: mesophyll
sheath cells are involved
chloroplast 2 types involved 1
Separation of It’s a spartial separation by A temporal separation by
p= space time
Regeneration of It does not involve starch Involves starch
REP
CO2 acceptor PEP( enzyme- PEP carboxylase)
First product oxaloacetate

Net energy yield from glycolysis

The link reaction
- If oxygen is present, the pyruvate enters a mitochondrion, where the enzymes of the
citric acid cycle complete the oxidation of glucose.

- Upon entering the mitochondrion via active transport, pyruvate is first converted to a
compound called acetyl coenzyme A, or acetyl CoA.

- This step, the junction between glycolysis and the citric acid cycle.

Krebs cycle
Oxidative phosphorylation
- Complex I: FMN complex; complex II: ubiquitous; complex III: cyt b; complex IV: cyt a.

- NADH and FADH2 shuttle high-energy electrons extracted from food during glycolysis and the
citric acid cycle to an electron transport chain built into the inner mitochondrial membrane.

- Note that FADH2 deposits its electrons via complex II and so results in fewer protons being
pumped into the intermembrane space than occurs with NADH.

- Hydrogen ions and oxygen atoms act as the last electron acceptor to form water molecules.

- If oxygen is absence, electron transport cannot occurs due to lack of the last electron accetor.

- Chemical energy originally harvested from food is transformed into a proton-motive force, a
gradient of H+ across the membrane.

- During chemiosmosis, the protons flow back down their gradient via ATP synthase, which is built
into the membrane nearby.

An accounting of ATP production by cellular respiration

- There are three reasons on uncertain of the exact number of ATP molecules generated.