The Calvin Cycle

Question 1

The Calvin cycle

Carbon fixation?

Answer 1

• CO2 adds to existing 5 carbon molecule RuBP to form an unstable 6 carbon
• 6carbon splits into 2 3PGA
• reactions catalyzed by rubisco
• large enzymes that work slow
• exergonic reaction

Question 2

The Calvin cycle

Reduction reactions?

Answer 2

• 6 PGA phosphorylated by ATP to form 1-3 BPG

- NADPH reduces 1-3 BPG to G3P

Question 3

The Calvin cycle

Answer 3

• once believed plants could conduct cyclic process in absence of light, proven incorrect
• reaction that converts CO2 into glucose happens in stroma if chloroplast in cyclic series of reactions

Question 4

The Calvin cycle

Regeneration of RuBP?

Answer 4

-remaining 5 G3Ps enter into series reactions and are rearranged into RuBP