The glucose 6-phosphate shunt around the Calvin–Benson cycle

It is just over 60 years since a cycle for the regeneration of the CO₂-acceptor used in photosynthesis was proposed. In this opinion paper, we revisit the origins of the Calvin–Benson cycle that occurred at the time that the hexose monophosphate shunt, now called the pentose phosphate pathway, was being worked out. Eventually the pentose phosphate pathway was separated into two branches, an oxidative branch and a non-oxidative branch. It is generally thought that the Calvin–Benson cycle is the reverse of the non-oxidative branch of the pentose phosphate pathway but we describe crucial differences and also propose that some carbon routinely passes through the oxidative branch of the pentose phosphate pathway. This creates a futile cycle but may help to stabilize photosynthesis. If it occurs it could explain a number of enigmas including the lack of complete labelling of the Calvin–Benson cycle intermediates when carbon isotopes are fed to photosynthesizing leaves.