what is HSK pathway
Dear Student
HSK stands for Hatch Slack Kortshak pathway.
The HSK pathway is also known as the C4 pathway because phosphoenol pyruvate (PEP) is a 3-carbon molecule accepts CO2 and it is fixed by the enzyme, PEPcase (PEP Carboxylase) in the mesophyll cells. It forms the 4-carbon compound oxaloacetic acid (OAA), and then other 4-carbon compounds like malic acid and asparatic acid. These compounds are transported to the bundle sheath cells. There, C4 acid breaks down to form C3 acid and CO2 (released only in the bundle sheath cells, and enters the C3 cycle). Since the first product of this cycle is a 4-C compound, this cycle is known as C4 pathway.
Regards
HSK stands for Hatch Slack Kortshak pathway.
The HSK pathway is also known as the C4 pathway because phosphoenol pyruvate (PEP) is a 3-carbon molecule accepts CO2 and it is fixed by the enzyme, PEPcase (PEP Carboxylase) in the mesophyll cells. It forms the 4-carbon compound oxaloacetic acid (OAA), and then other 4-carbon compounds like malic acid and asparatic acid. These compounds are transported to the bundle sheath cells. There, C4 acid breaks down to form C3 acid and CO2 (released only in the bundle sheath cells, and enters the C3 cycle). Since the first product of this cycle is a 4-C compound, this cycle is known as C4 pathway.
Regards