Key Processes of Exchange | home
Calvin-Benson Cycle
The Steps
 CO2 combines with the phosphorylated 5-carbon sugar ribulose bisphosphate
 This reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase ( RUBISCO)(an enzyme which can fairly claim to be the most abundant protein on earth)
 The resulting 6-carbon compound breaks down into two molecules of 3-phosphoglyceric acid ( PGA)
 The PGA molecules are further phosphorylated (by ATP) and are reduced (by NADPH) to form phosphoglyceraldehyde ( PGAL)
 Phosphoglyceraldehyde serves as the starting material for the synthesis of glucose and fructose
 Glucose and fructose make the disaccharide sucrose, which travels in solution to other parts of the plant (e.g., fruit, roots)
 Glucose is also the monomer used in the synthesis of the polysaccharides starch and cellulose
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