Products of Photosynthesis (Edexcel A (SNAB) A Level Biology)

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Naomi H

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Naomi H

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Products of Photosynthesis

  • Intermediate molecules of the Calvin cycle such as glycerate 3-phosphate (GP) and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (GALP) are used to produce other biological molecules needed by plants
  • GP is used to produce 
    • Amino acids which can be used in protein synthesis for building polypeptides
    • Fatty acids which form the tails of lipid molecules such as triglycerides and phospholipids
  • GALP is used to produce:
    • Hexose sugars e.g. glucose 
      • Hexose sugars can be converted into other hexose sugars e.g. glucose can be converted to sucrose for transport in the phloem
      • Hexose sugars can be joined to make polysaccharides such as starch and cellulose
    • Glycerol can be used for building lipid molecules such as triglycerides and phospholipids
    • Nucleic acids form the basis of DNA and RNA
  • Glucose can be used by the plant in respiration while other biological molecules are used to build new plant biomass
    • The molecules that make up plant biomass are passed on to consumers when plant tissue is eaten

Photosynthetic product uses (3)

The products of photosynthesis include amino acids, polysaccarides, lipids and nucleic acids

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Naomi H

Author: Naomi H

Expertise: Biology

Naomi graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in Biological Sciences. She has 8 years of classroom experience teaching Key Stage 3 up to A-Level biology, and is currently a tutor and A-Level examiner. Naomi especially enjoys creating resources that enable students to build a solid understanding of subject content, while also connecting their knowledge with biology’s exciting, real-world applications.