Answer to Question #23842 in Biochemistry for India

Question

2. Photosynthesis must be triggered by a catalyst known as what in order for the process to start?

Answer 1

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase (RuBisCO) is an enzyme involved in the first major step of carbon fixation in photosynthesis, a process by which atmospheric carbon dioxide is converted by plants to energy-rich molecules such as glucose. In chemical terms, it catalyzes the carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate to form two molecules of 3-phosphoglycerate.
The overall equation for the light-independent reactions in green plants is:
3 CO₂ + 9 ATP + 6 NADPH + 6 H+ → C₃H₆O₃-phosphate + 9 ADP + 8 Pi + 6 NADP+ + 3 H₂O