3-phosphoglycerate (3-PGA) is a 3-carbon molecule formed during the Calvin cycle of photosynthesis. It is an intermediate that plays a crucial role in the synthesis of glucose.
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3-phosphoglycerate is produced from ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) through the action of the enzyme RuBisCO.
It is one of the first stable products formed in the Calvin cycle after carbon fixation.
3-PGA can be converted into glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P), which is used to generate glucose and other carbohydrates.
The conversion of 3-PGA to G3P requires ATP and NADPH, which are products of the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis.
In C4 and CAM plants, 3-phosphoglycerate still plays a role but via different initial steps involving alternative pathways.