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Metabolic
Plants, algae, cyanobacteria
Calvin Cycle (Light-Independent Reactions)
Fixes CO₂ into organic molecules using ATP and NADPH from light reactions.
Overview
The Calvin cycle occurs in the stroma of chloroplasts and consists of three stages: carbon fixation (CO₂ + RuBP → 2 × 3-PGA by RuBisCO), reduction (3-PGA → G3P using ATP and NADPH), and regeneration of RuBP. Three turns of the cycle fix 3 CO₂ molecules to produce one net G3P, which can be used to synthesize glucose and other organic molecules.
Cellular Location
Stroma (chloroplast)
Clinical Significance
Primary pathway for carbon fixation on Earth; RuBisCO is the most abundant protein on the planet.