Question

How many ATP and NADPH molecules are required in the C3 pathway to make one six-carbon sugar? If the synthesis of a molecule of ATP were to require four protons, would you expect that these relative requirements for ATP and NADPH could be met by noncyclic photophosphorylation in the absence of cyclic photophosphorylation?

Answer 1

The correct answer is 18 ATP and 12 NADPH and noncyclic photophosphorylation can produce ATP molecule in the absence of cyclic photophosphorylation.

Step-by-step explanation:

ATP and NADPH molecules are synthesized during light reaction of the photosynthesis which is utilized during the reactions of the dark phases. Dark reaction or Calvin cycle (C3 cycle) is the cyclic pathway of producing glucose triose phosphates (3C) from carbon dioxide and water. This reaction proceeds into 3 phases: carboxylation, reduction and regeneration.

First ATP and NADPH are utilized during the reduction step in the reduction of 3-phosphoglycerate to glucose-3-phosphate by the transfer of phosphate group from 6 ATP to 3-phosphoglycerate and 6 NADPH reduction as it donates an electron. Regeneration step also uses 3 ATP in conversion of G3P to RUBP molecules.

A total of 9 ATP and 6 NADPH are utilized in producing 3C G3P molecule, So, to produce 6C sugar molecule 18 ATP AND 12 NADPH are used.

During chemiosmosis synthesis of ATP, 4 protons produce 1 molecule of ATP which could be able to generate 3 molecules of ATP for each pair of NADPH. so, noncyclic photophosphorylation or Z-scheme will be able to produce ATP in the absence of cyclic photophosphorylation.

Thus, 18 ATP and 12 NADPH and noncyclic photophosphorylation can produce ATP molecule in the absence of cyclic photophosphorylation are the correct answer.