Calvin Cycle- AP bio

carbon dioxide fixation

taking carbon from CO2 and fixing it within carbohydrate bonds

what are the three steps to the calvin cycle

CO2 fixation

CO2 reduction

regeneration of RuBP

describe the first step of the calvin cycle

CO2 fixation

CO2 binds to RuBP, a 5 carbon molecule and with the aid of Rubisco, a 6 carbon molecule is made and is split into two 3 carbon molecules

describe the second step of the calvin cycle

CO2 reduction

the two 3PG molecules is reduced to G3P by ATP giving them a phosphate group and energy, becoming ADP

the G3P is reduced again by NADPH giving them electrons, becoming NADP+

describe the third step of the calvin cycle

regeneration of RuBP

two turns of the calvin cycle allow 1 G3P to exit

5G3P can regenerate RuBP withe the aid of ATP giving its phosphate group and energy, becoming ADP

G3P significance

two G3P make a single molecule of glucose, which can be metabolized into ATP or be built into various polysaccharides used by the plant

glucose+fructose=sucrose

starch for storage

cellulose for structure

fatty acids/glycerol- e.g. corn oil, sunflower oil, and olive oil

hydrocarbons+nitrogen group= plant amino acids!

RuBP

ribulose 1,5 biphosphate

Rubisco

RuBP carboxylase

an enzyme that aids in carbon fixation

makes up 20%-50% of the protein content on the chloroplast

3GP

3- phosoglycerate

G3P

glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate