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Question

Describe the mechanism of Hatch and Slack pathway in C4 plants.

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Solution

Hatch and Slack pathway is a cyclic process. The primary CO2 acceptor is a three-carbon molecule phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) and it is present in mesophyll cells. The enzyme that catalyses this CO2 fixation is PEP carboxylase or PEPcase. The mesophyll cells pf C4 plants lack the enzyme RuBisCO. The 4-carbon oxaloacetic acid (OAA) is formed in the mesophyll cells. It is then converted to other four-carbon compounds like malic acid or aspartic acid in the mesophyll cells itself, these are then transported to the bundle sheath cells. In the bundle sheath cells, these C4 acids are broken down to release CO2 and three-carbon molecule. The CO2 released in the bundle sheath cells enters the C3 or the Calvin pathway. The bundle sheath cells are rich in an enzyme RuBisCO but lack PEPcase. The three-carbon molecule is transported back to the mesophyll cells where it is converted to PEP again, thus completing the cycle.
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