5.2.6 Products of Photosynthesis

• Intermediate molecules of the Calvin cycle such as glycerate 3-phosphate (GP) and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (GALP) are used to produce other biological molecules needed by plants
• GP is used to produce 
  • Amino acids which can be used in protein synthesis for building polypeptides
  • Fatty acids which form the tails of lipid molecules such as triglycerides and phospholipids
• GALP is used to produce:
  • Hexose sugars e.g. glucose 
    • Hexose sugars can be converted into other hexose sugars e.g. glucose can be converted to sucrose for transport in the phloem
    • Hexose sugars can be joined to make polysaccharides such as starch and cellulose
  • Glycerol can be used for building lipid molecules such as triglycerides and phospholipids
  • Nucleic acids form the basis of DNA and RNA
• Glucose can be used by the plant in respiration while other biological molecules are used to build new plant biomass
  • The molecules that make up plant biomass are passed on to consumers when plant tissue is eaten

The products of photosynthesis include amino acids, polysaccarides, lipids and nucleic acids