In: Biology
Assume you have a suspension of photosynthetic cells carrying out C3 photosynthesis in the presence of 1000 ppm carbon dioxide (0.1%) and 20% oxygen. What effect would the following changes in conditions have on the levels of G3P being produced? Explain your reasoning.
a) Carbon dioxide concentration is suddenly reduced 1000-fold.
b) Light is suddenly switched off.
Ans : a) C3 photosynthetic pathway or Calvin cycle solely depends on CO2 absorbed from the atmosphere through stromal opening to prepare G3P (Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate) using O2 and ATP. The CO2 concentration directly influences the rate of photosysthesis. Therefore, a 1000-fold reduction in CO2 concentration reduces the rate of G3P production drastically.
b) C3 cycle depends on light for generation of ATP and NADH required to fix atmospheric carbon. It does not occur in the absence of light. Hence, G3P output stops when the light is switched off. This light and dark cycling is regulated by redox reactions that oxidise the intermediates of C3 cycle in the absence of light, making them unavailable for G3P production.