Autotrophy: Collecting Energy From The Non-Living Environment

Chapter 4
Autotrophy: Collecting Energy

from the Non-living Environment
Photosynthetic organisms harvest solar energy
to combine CO2 into organic compounds
4.1 What are Autotrophs?
• autotrophs- obtain energy from nonliving
sources
•Heterotrophs-obtain energy & nutrients
from other organisms
-uses to convert CO2
into
-Enzymes convert sugars into amino acids
photoautotrophs-
use photosynthesis
to capture energy
from sunlight and
synthesize organic
compounds from
CO2 and H2O
6CO2+6H2O (+light energy)=> C6H12O6 + 6O2

•Chemoautotrophs use inorganic
molecules (hydrogen sulfates, nitrates,
sulfur & iron) to make food.
Table 4.1 Nutritional Classification of Organisms
Energy Source of Carbon
CO2 (auto-) organic compounds made

by other organisms
(hetero-)
Light photoautotrophs photoheterotrophs (some
photo (plants, algae, some bacteria)
bacteria)
Chem chemoautotrophs chemoheterotrophs
icals (some bacteria) (animals, fungi, some
chemo bacteria and other one-
celled organisms)
4.2 Overview of Photosynthesis
light
6CO2+6H20 C6H12O6+6O2
chlorophyll
Carbon Sugar + oxygen

dioxide+ water
(glucose)
• light consists of a vibrating electric and
magnetic field
•light has wavelike properties
• wavelength determines light’s color
• the shorter the wavelength the greater the
energy
pigments-any coloring matter or substance
•Pigments that absorb sunlight are in the
chloroplasts of autotrophs.
•chloroplast- membrane-
bearing organelle found in
photoautotrophs; site of
photosynthesis
• thylakoid- membrane in cells which hold
light-absorbing pigments and enzymes
•grana- flattened sacs of
thylakoids
• thylakoids are
organized into
chloroplasts
•stroma- space surrounding thylakoids which
contains the chloroplast’s DNA, RNA, and
enzymes
• chlorophyll- the
green pigments of
plants and other
photoautotrophs;
converts light
energy to chemical
energy used in
biological
reactions
•plants contain
chlorophyll a and
chlorophyll b
•hydrophobic tail
anchors molecule to
membrane
•chlorophylls a and b absorb light in
violet/blue range and orange/red range
•do not absorb green light
•accessory pigments absorb other wavelengths
of light and transfer energy to chlorophyll a
Process of photosynthesis (3 energy conversions)
1. absorption of light energy
2. conversion of light energy to chemical energy
3. storage of chemical energy as sugar
light reactions- pigment molecules in the
thylakoids absorb light and convert it to
chemical energy
Calvin cycle- formation
of 3-carbon sugars
from carbon dioxide
4.3 The Light Reactions
-light absorbing
pigment clusters
make up
photosystems I
and II (PS I and
PS II)
-energy is transferred from one molecule to the
next ending with a specific chlorophyll a
molecule called the reaction center
-reaction center molecules get so much energy
that some electrons jump to electron carrier
molecules
• electron carrier molecules form an electron
transport system between the two
photosystems
• electrons from PS II replace
electrons lost from PS I
• PS II receives replacement electrons from an
enzyme that oxidizes water
2 H2O== 4H+ + 4e- + O2 (released as gas)
• e- accumulate in the thylakoid sac, replacing
electrons that have gone to PS I
• When e- from H2O reach PS I the reaction
center there gives them more energy
•e- along with protons from H2O, reduce NADP+
(nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate), to NADPH
• NADPH provides the protons and electrons
needed to reduce CO2 in the Calvin cycle
• solar energy from PS II powers the active
transport of protons across the thylakoid
membrane
• concentrated protons diffuse out through an
enzyme in the membrane
• as they cross, they transfer energy to ATP
synthetase
• ATP synthetase- catalyzes the production of
ATP
Light Reactions Summary
• energy from light forces e- to flow from H2O
to NADP+ in the chloroplast
• e- retain this energy in NADPH
• some NADPH is used for ATP synthesis
• energy from ATP and NADPH is used to
make sugars from CO2 in the Calvin Cycle
• ATP, NADPH and O2 are the products of light
reactions
4.4 Calvin Cycle
• conserves the
chemical energy
produced in the
light reactions in
the form of sugars
• occurs in the
stroma of the
chloroplast
• enzymes catalyze
each step
The Calvin
Cycle
PGAL
• CO2 combines with RuBP to form an unstable
6 carbon molecule (carbon fixation)
•the 6 carbon molecule immediately splits into
2 molecules of phosphoglyceric acid (PGA)
a 3-carbon acid
• two enzymes
reduce PGA to
phosphoglyceralde
hyde (PGAL)
• this uses ATP &
NADPH from the
light reactions
•enzymatic reactions combine & rearrange
PGAL, eventually producing a 5-carbon
sugar-phosphate
•ATP adds a second phosphate group to the 5
carbon sugar phosphate…this produces RuBP
(the starting material)
PGAL
• three turns of the Calvin Cycle result in the

formation of 6 molecules of PGAL
PGAL
• 5 PGAL’s are used to regenerate RuBP, 1 is

used for maintenance & growth
Rubisco catalyzes CO2 fixation for the
Calvin Cycle
• Sugar is converted in cytoplasm to sucrose
• chloroplast enzymes convert sugars to starch
4.5 Rate of Photosynthesis
Environmental conditions affect the rate

of photosynthesis
Photoinhibition- a decline in photosynthesis
Too much causes e- to react with O2 forming H2O2
Too hot, too much water loss
Can only absorb & use so much CO2
Limiting factors- factor in the shortest supply
has the greatest effect on photosynthesis
4.6 Photorespiration & Special Adaptations
• Normal
atmosphere
concentrations of
O2 can inhibit
photosynthesis
- Rubisco (CO2 fixation) can bind to either CO2
or O2
- Photorespiration: rubisco binds to O2 & loses
fixed carbon
- High CO2 favors photosynthesis
- High O2 favors photorespiration
Hot dry weather favors photorespiration by
closing stomates & preventing CO2 intake.
C4 plants can function with stomates partly
closed
c4
- Bundle Sheath- Tightly packed cells around
leaf veins where 4-Carbon acid is refixed by
rubisco.
Rubisco catalyzes CO2 fixation for the
Calvin Cycle
C3 leaf
C4 leaf
Mesophyll cells do not contain rubisco but a
different enzyme that combines CO2 with a
3-Carbon acid into a 4-Carbon acid then is
transported to bundle-sheath cells.
- CAM plants open stomates at night &
incorporate CO2 into organic acids.
- Not efficient & they grow slowly
C3 C4 CAM
4.7 Photosynthesis & the Atmosphere
- Photosynthesis supplies O2 to the atmosphere
& food to the organisms
- Organism use O2 & release CO2 ( a Cycle)
- CO2 content in atmosphere is increasing due to
fossil fuel burning & land clearing.
- CO2 increase favors C3 plants
4.8 Varieties of
Chemoautotrophs
chemoautotrophs-
bacteria that obtain
energy from
chemical reactions
and fix their own
nitrogen & carbon,
usually through the
Calvin Cycle
Does not supply as much energy & they can’t compete
• energy comes from oxidation of, usually, an
inorganic mineral (Fe +2 or S) or heat
• Source of Carbon – CO2
thiobacillus
• can switch electron donors or live

heterotrophically
Table 4.2
Some Common Chemoautotrophs
Type of Energy Donor
Bacteria
hydrogenamonas H2
thiobacillus H2S, S, S2O3-

nitrobacter, nitrococcus,
nitrosomonas
NH4+, NO2-
ferrobacillus Fe+2
Deinococcus
nitrosomonas
nitrobacter
ferrobacillus
4.9 Chemoautotrophs Role in Environment
• support communities
of organisms around
underwater volcanic
vents
• nitrogen fixation
• form & mine mineral ores such as Iron &
Sulfur

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Chapter 4

Autotrophy: Collecting Energy

6CO2+6H2O (+light energy)=> C6H12O6 + 6O2

CO2 (auto-) organic compounds made

Carbon Sugar + oxygen

• three turns of the Calvin Cycle result in the

• 5 PGAL’s are used to regenerate RuBP, 1 is

Environmental conditions affect the rate

• can switch electron donors or live

thiobacillus H2S, S, S2O3-

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