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Multiple Choice
Carbon fixation involves the addition of carbon dioxide to _____.
A
phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)
B
glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P)
C
glucose
D
ribulose bisphosphate (RuBP)
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the concept of carbon fixation: Carbon fixation is the process by which inorganic carbon (CO₂) is incorporated into an organic molecule during photosynthesis. This is the first step of the Calvin cycle in plants.
Identify the molecule involved in carbon fixation: In the Calvin cycle, the enzyme ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (commonly known as RuBisCO) catalyzes the reaction.
Recognize the substrate for RuBisCO: The enzyme RuBisCO facilitates the addition of CO₂ to ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP), a 5-carbon sugar with two phosphate groups.
Understand the result of the reaction: The addition of CO₂ to RuBP produces an unstable 6-carbon intermediate, which quickly splits into two molecules of 3-phosphoglycerate (3-PGA).
Conclude that ribulose bisphosphate (RuBP) is the correct molecule to which CO₂ is added during carbon fixation, as this is the key step in the Calvin cycle.