Reimport of carbon from cytosolic and vacuolar sugar pools into the Calvin-Benson cycle explains photosynthesis labeling anomalies

SignificancePhotosynthesis metabolites are quickly labeled when (13)CO(2) is fed to leaves, but the time course of labeling reveals additional contributing processes involved in the metabolic dynamics of photosynthesis. The existence of three such processes is demonstrated, and a metabolic flux model is developed to explore and characterize them. The model is consistent with a slow return of carbon from cytosolic and vacuolar sugars into the Calvin-Benson cycle through the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway. Our results provide insight into how carbon assimilation is integrated into the metabolic network of photosynthetic cells with implications for global carbon fluxes.