Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
What is the product of the carbon fixation reaction catalyzed by Rubisco in the Calvin cycle?
A
Glucose
B
Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate
C
Ribulose bisphosphate
D
3-phosphoglycerate
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the role of Rubisco: Rubisco is an enzyme that catalyzes the first major step of carbon fixation in the Calvin cycle, which is crucial for photosynthesis in plants.
Identify the substrate: The substrate for Rubisco is ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate, a 5-carbon sugar that reacts with carbon dioxide.
Recognize the reaction: Rubisco catalyzes the reaction between ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate and carbon dioxide, resulting in an unstable 6-carbon intermediate.
Break down the intermediate: The unstable 6-carbon intermediate quickly splits into two molecules of 3-phosphoglycerate, a 3-carbon compound.
Conclude the product formation: The immediate product of the reaction catalyzed by Rubisco is 3-phosphoglycerate, which is then used in subsequent steps of the Calvin cycle.