The Light-Dependent Reactions of Photosynthesis
- Photosynthesis occurs in two stages: the light-dependent stage, which takes place in the thylakoids, and the light-independent stage, which takes place in the stroma
- During the light-dependent stage of photosynthesis:
- Light energy is used to break down water (photolysis) to produce hydrogen ions, electrons and oxygen in the thylakoid lumen
- A proton gradient is formed due to the photolysis of water resulting in a high concentration of hydrogen ions in the thylakoid lumen
- Electrons travel through an electron transport chain of proteins within the membrane
- Reduced NADP (NADPH) is produced when hydrogen ions in the stroma and electrons from the electron transport chain combine with the carrier molecule NADP
- ATP is produced during a process known as photophosphorylation
The Electron Transport Chain
- The electron transport chain makes up part of the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis
- Light energy is absorbed by photosystems I and II, which are embedded in the internal thylakoid membrane of the chloroplast
- Light energy is transferred to electrons in the chlorophyll
- Energized electrons are passed along a chain of electron carriers (known as the electron transport chain)
- The electron carriers are alternately reduced (as they gain an electron) and then oxidized (as they lose the electron by passing it to the next carrier)
The Proton Gradient
- The energized electrons gradually release their energy as they pass through the electron transport chain
- The released energy is used to actively transport protons (H+ ions) across the thylakoid membrane, from the stroma (the fluid within chloroplasts) to the thylakoid lumen (the space within thylakoids)
- A ‘proton pump’ transports the protons across the thylakoid membrane, from the stroma to the thylakoid lumen
- The energy for this active transport comes from the energized electrons moving through the electron transport chain
- This creates a proton gradient, with a high concentration of protons in the thylakoid lumen and a low concentration in the stroma
- Protons then return to the stroma (moving down the proton concentration gradient) by facilitated diffusion through transmembrane ATP synthase enzymes in a process called chemiosmosis
- This process provides the energy needed to synthesize ATP by adding an inorganic phosphate group (Pi) to ADP (ADP + Pi → ATP)
Products of the Light-Dependent Reactions
- At the end of the electron transport chain, electrons combine with hydrogen ions and the carrier molecule NADP to give NADPH:
2H+ + 2e- + NADP → NADPH
- ATP and NADPH then pass to the light-independent reactions to be used in the synthesis of carbohydrates from carbon dioxide
Light Dependent Reaction Diagram
The electron transport chain creates a proton gradient linked to the synthesis of ATP from ADP