RuBisCO catalyses the addition of CO₂ to:
ARuBP
BG3P
CPEP
D3-PGA
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. RuBP
RuBisCO (Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase) is the primary enzyme involved in the first major step of the **Calvin Cycle** during photosynthesis.
1. **Carbon Fixation**: RuBisCO catalyzes the fixation of atmospheric $CO_2$ into organic matter. The molecule that accepts the $CO_2$ is a 5-carbon sugar called **Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP)**.
2. **The Reaction**: The reaction can be summarized as:
$$CO_2 + \text{RuBP} \xrightarrow{\text{RuBisCO}} [\text{6C intermediate}] \rightarrow 2 \times \text{3-PGA}$$
3. **Analysis of Options**:
- **G3P**: A 3-carbon sugar produced later in the cycle after reduction of 3-PGA.
- **PEP**: The $CO_2$ acceptor in $C_4$ plants, catalyzed by PEP carboxylase, not RuBisCO.
- **3-PGA**: The first stable 3-carbon product formed *after* $CO_2$ is added to RuBP.
Since RuBisCO specifically binds $CO_2$ to the 5-carbon RuBP, the correct answer is **RuBP**.
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