Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
Which two chemical reactions are catalyzed by the enzyme RuBisCO in the Calvin cycle?
A
Phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate
B
Carboxylation and oxygenation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate
C
Hydrogenation and dehydrogenation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate
D
Isomerization and epimerization of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the role of RuBisCO: RuBisCO is an enzyme that plays a crucial role in the Calvin cycle, which is part of the photosynthetic process in plants. It catalyzes reactions involving ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate.
Identify the reactions catalyzed by RuBisCO: RuBisCO is known for catalyzing two specific reactions - carboxylation and oxygenation. These reactions are essential for the fixation of carbon dioxide and the photorespiration process.
Carboxylation process: In the Calvin cycle, RuBisCO catalyzes the carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate by adding a carbon dioxide molecule, forming two molecules of 3-phosphoglycerate. This is a key step in carbon fixation.
Oxygenation process: RuBisCO also catalyzes the oxygenation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate, where oxygen is added instead of carbon dioxide, leading to the formation of one molecule of 3-phosphoglycerate and one molecule of 2-phosphoglycolate. This process is part of photorespiration.
Differentiate from other reactions: The other options provided, such as phosphorylation, hydrogenation, and isomerization, are not catalyzed by RuBisCO in the Calvin cycle. Focus on the specific role of RuBisCO in carboxylation and oxygenation.