Uses of Triose Phosphate
- During the light-independent stage energy from ATP and hydrogen from reduced NADP (both products of the light-dependent stage) are used to reduce glycerate 3-phosphate (GP) to a phosphorylated three-carbon (3C) sugar known as triose phosphate (TP)
- One-sixth of the triose phosphate (TP) molecules are used to produce useful organic molecules needed by the plant:
- Triose phosphates can condense to become hexose phosphates (6C), which can be used to produce starch, sucrose or cellulose
- Triose phosphates can be converted to glycerol while glycerate 3-phosphates can be converted to fatty acids. These molecules join together to form lipids for cell membranes
- Triose phosphates can be used in the production of amino acids for protein synthesis
- Five-sixths of the triose phosphate (TP) molecules are used to regenerate ribulose bisphosphate (RuBP). This process requires ATP
