Discovery of the canonical Calvin–Benson cycle

Abstract

It has been 65 years since the Calvin–Benson cycle was first formulated. In this paper, the development of the concepts that are critical to the cycle is traced and the contributions of Calvin, Benson, and Bassham are discussed. Some simplified views often found in text books such as ascending paper chromatography and the use of the “lollipop” for short labeling are discussed and further details given. Key discoveries that underpinned elucidation of the cycle such as the importance of sedoheptulose phosphate and ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate are described. The interchange of ideas between other researchers working on what is now called the pentose phosphate pathway and the development of the ideas of Calvin and Benson are explored while the gluconeogenic aspects of the cycle are emphasized. Concerns raised about anomalies of label distribution in glucose are considered. Other carbon metabolism pathways associated with the Calvin–Benson cycle are also described. Finally, there is a section describing the rift between Calvin and Benson.