Calvin Cycle - Photosynthesis

Question 1

What is another name given to the light independent/dark reactions of photosynthesis?

Answer 1

Calvin Cycle

Question 2

Which other metabolic process does the Calvin Cycle mirror?

Answer 2

Pentose Phosphate Pathway

Question 3

Fixation of CO2 in the Calvin Cycle occurs which enzyme?

Answer 3

RuBisco

Question 4

What combines with one CO2 molecule via RuBisco in the Calvin Cycle? What molecule does this produce?

Answer 4

Ribulose 1,5-Bisphosphate combines with CO2 ->
2x 3-phosphoglycerate

Question 5

After fixation of CO2 in the Calvin Cycle, what small molecule from the Light Dependent Reactions is combined with 2x 3-phosphoglcerate?
And what is produced?

Answer 5

Combines with 2xATP ->
2x 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate

Question 6

What small molecule from the light dependent reactions of photosynthesis combine with 2x 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate?
What is produced and what is the name of this reaction?

Answer 6

2x NADPH combines ->
2x glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (3C)
Reduction

Question 7

How many “turns” of the Calvin Cycle are required for the net production of one Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate molecule?
How many CO2, ATP and NADPH molecules are therefore required?

Answer 7

3 turns
3CO2
9ATP
6NADPH

Question 8

What are the two different fates of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate if it continues in the Calvin Cycle?

Answer 8

Either Fructose 6-Phosphate (some used to make hexose sugars) then to ribulose 5-phosphate
Or to ribulose 5-phosphate directly

Question 9

What small molecule combines with ribulose 5-phosphae in the Calvin cycle to regenerate Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate?

Answer 9

ATP