Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate (NADP)

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate is used in anabolic reactions, such as lipid and nucleic acid synthesis, which require NADPH as a reducing agent.NADPH is the reduced form of NADP⁺. NADP⁺ differs from NAD+ by the presence of an additional phosphate group on the 2' position of the ribose ring that carries the adenine moiety.

In chloroplasts, NADP⁺ is reduced by ferredoxin-NADP reductase in the last step of the electron chain of the light reactions of photosynthesis. The NADPH produced is then used as reducing power for the biosynthetic reactions in the Calvin cycle of photosynthesis. It produces 2 ATP during photosynthesis.The oxidative phase of the pentose phosphate pathway is the major source of NADPH in cells, producing approximately 60% of the NADPH required.