photosynthesis

Light reactions &

Dark reactions
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Students will understand how energy is

transformed from chemical or solar
energy into the universal power source
of cells, ATP.

Focus: Photosynthesis
Light reactions: split water, capture energy from sunlight
Dark reactions: fix and reduce CO2
2

Overview of
photosynthesis
CO2 + H2O C6H12O6 + O2

H2O O2 + e- + p+
Light reactions:
split water
charge electrons
make ATP and NADPH
produce O2 (waste)

(+ ATP + NADPH)

H2S S + e- + p+
...using alternative electron donor
(in purple sulfur bacteria)

Dark reactions:
use ATP and NADPH
fix CO2

Overview of
photosynthesis
CO2 + H2O C6H12O6 + O2

CO2 + e- + p+ C6H12O6
(+ ATP + NADPH)

(SAME reaction occurs in purple sulfur

bacteria)

Generic photosytem
electron has increased
potential energy
oxidized
reduced electron
acceptor
electron transport
chain

antenna complex

final electron
acceptor

electron excited in reaction center

[----- Photosystem ----------------------] [----- Electron transport -----------------------]

Photopigments capture different

wavelengths
different pigments absorb different
wavelengths
( white light contains all
wavelengths)

overall rate of photosynthesis

highest in blue and red wavelengths

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graph from: http://www.life.illinois.edu/govindjee/paper/fig5.gif

Photosystem II makes ATP

PQ
is both an electron carrier and the
proton pump

stroma

PC

lumen of
thylakoids

Terminology: ATP created by ATP synthase via

chemiosmosis and proton motive force

Photosystem II makes ATP

creates proton gradient

PC

powers ATP synthase

ATP
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Photosystem I makes NADPH

electron transport chain

NADPH
noncyclic electron flow

final electron
acceptor

Electron energy

PC links Photosystems I and II

Photosystem I
+

Inputs: H2O and light

++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++

Photosystem II

+
10

Electron energy

PC links Photosystems I and II

Outputs: O2, ATP, NADPH

Z-scheme: noncyclic electron flow

11

Photosystem I can switch

to make ATP instead

NADPH
noncyclic electron flow

PQ
cyclic electron flow
12

Photosystem I can recycle

electrons to pump protons

ADVANTAGE:
proton gradient maintained,
ATP made

Cyclic electron flow

DISADVANTAGE:
cannot reduce
NADPH

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Tell me about the PC protein. Which

of the following must be true?
(multiple answers possible)
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

It must have lots of hydrophilic R groups

It must have lots of hydrophobic R groups
It must use ATP to perform its function
It must cycle between an oxidized and reduced
state
There is at least one gene that encodes it

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We mutate the PC gene- no PC in

system. What happens?

X
A. Photosytem II still absorbs photons and electrons are excited
B. Photosystem I still absorbs photons and electrons are excited
C. Photosystem II still produces ATP
D. Photosystem I still produces NADPH
E. Photosystem II cant work, but Photosystem I can take over and produce both ATP
and NADPH through cyclic electron flow
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How are ATP and NADPH used?

CO2 + H2O C6H12O6 + O2

CO2 + e- + p+ C6H12O6
(+ ATP + NADPH)

(SAME reaction occurs in purple sulfur

bacteria)

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Calvin Cycle has 3 phases

Fixation
CO2

phase

is bound to ribulose bisphosphate (RuBP)

Enzyme

that does this is rubisco

Rubisco is the most abundant and probably most
important enzyme on earth
CO2
P

rubisco

3-phosphoglycerate (x2)

RuBP
This is exergonic17

Calvin Cycle has 3 phases

Reduction

phase

3-phosphoglycerate is reduced to G3P

takes one ATP and one NADPH

ATP

NADPH

3-phosphoglycerate
ADP

NADP+

G3P
(glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate)

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Calvin Cycle has 3 phases

Regeneration

phase

G3P used to reconstitute RuBP

ATP
P
P

G3P

RuBP
ADP
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Every turn of the Calvin Cycle fixes

ONE carbon from CO2.
For every 3 turns of the Calvin cycle

3 CO2 are consumed.

Six G3P are produced (reduction phase)

One G3P leaves cycle
Five G3P are used to reconstitute three RuBP (regeneration phase)

build glucose and other sugars

P
P
P
P
P

3 ATP

RuBP

3 ADP
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Three turns of the Calvin cycle are required to produce one USABLE G3P

Recall that thousands of reactions are occurring simultaneously in the stroma of a chloroplast.
1/6 of G3P produced can be used for other stuff
5/6 of the G3P made must be used to keep cycle going

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G3P is important in many metabolic pathways

reconstitute
ATP

glycolysis

res
pir
at

Make starch
Make fats

ion

/fer
me

ge
gluco

nta

Make glucose

e
os
t
n
Pe

Make nucleotides

G3P

nesis

Make cellulose

Make NAD+
and NADP+

tio

h
sp
o
ph

e
at

pa

w
th

ay

Make vitamin B1

Make some
amino acids

Make ATP/ADP
make DNA, RNA

Make proteins

build other organic

molecules

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You should be able to:

Tell me the main input and output molecules of both light and dark
reactions of photosynthesis
explain why light reactions need water but not CO2
and why the dark reactions need CO2 but dont produce O2
and why organisms that use a different electron donor than water will NOT
release O2 but will still need CO2

Tell me how photosynthesis works, highlighting the roles of the

proteins/molecules of interest:

Photosystem I and II pigments, PC, PQ, pheophytin, ferrodoxin, rubisco, NADP+,

ATP, RuBP, G3P

Explain why the two photosystems work best when they work
together, and predict the effect of:
removing PC from the system
blocking Photosystem IIs electron transport chain
shining light of only one wavelength on the photosystems (green vs. blue or red)
putting a proton channel in the thylakoid membrane to allow protons another way
to diffuse across the membrane

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You should be able to:

Tell me the differences and similarities of photosystem I and II, and

what links them together.

Tell me the ultimate electron acceptors in all ETCs (for respiration and
photosystems I and II)
Predict what would happen if any of these acceptors were missing.
Predict which parts of respiration and photosynthesis would be affected by
poisons that affect the ETCs. Which parts could continue?

Tell me where all these reactions occur

Answer questions about the amino acid composition of proteins in these
structures (membrane proteins, enzymes in the pathways, effects of mutations)
Answer questions about the hydrophobicity or otherwise of any component of
the light reactions and dark reactions (hint: light related proteins are in the
membrane, dark reactions are in the stroma)
Answer structure-function relationship questions about the photosystems and
the chloroplast in general

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You should be able to

Explain in general terms how the Calvin Cycle works

Why most of the G3P produced at any given time is stuck in the cycle
Why it takes six cycles to make one molecule of glucose
How RuBP is reconstituted
Where reduction occurs
How plants in hot climates can decrease the amount of photorespiration
through C4 pathways

Answer questions about rubisco as an enzyme

what might affect the rate of reaction
competitive inhibition by O2
that its encoded by genes, and has 8 active sites

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You should be able to

Apply big-picture concepts of photosynthesis and respiration to

living plants and animals

What can plants do that animals cant?

Where does plant biomass (non H 2O part of cells and tissues) come from?
Where does animal biomass come from?
Where does ALL the carbon in living organisms ultimately come from?
If we were to label carbon dioxide with radioactivity, how would we see it incorporated
into plants? Into animals?

Answer questions that assume respiration and photosynthesis are

happening simultaneously in plant cells

Can the plant survive (for a day or two) without photosystem I? Photosystem II? The
Calvin cycle?
Can respiration make up (for a day or two) for the loss of any of these areas?
Can the plant survive without respiration? Why or why not?

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