Chuwen Cui , Mengting Shang , Zhigang Li , Jianwei Xiao
{"title":"Synthetic biology approaches to improve Rubisco carboxylation efficiency in C3 Plants: Direct and Indirect Strategies","authors":"Chuwen Cui , Mengting Shang , Zhigang Li , Jianwei Xiao","doi":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154470","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Food security remains a pressing issue due to the growing global population and climate change, including the global warming along with increased atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> levels, which can negatively impact C<sub>3</sub> crop yields. A major limitation in C<sub>3</sub> plants is the inefficiency of Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) due to its low carboxylation activity and competing oxygenase activity. Improving Rubisco efficiency in C<sub>3</sub> plants is thus essential for improving photosynthetic performance. Recent advances in synthetic biology have introduced promising strategies to overcome these limitations. This review highlights the latest synthetic biology and gene transformation techniques aimed at optimizing Rubsico carboxylation efficiency. Next, direct approaches such as engineering Rubisco subunits by replacing plant Rubisco with proteins from other organisms are discussed. Additionally, indirect strategies involve modifications of Rubisco-interacting proteins and adjustment of Rubisco environment. We explore CO<sub>2</sub>-concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) based on pyrenoids and carboxysomes, which increase local CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations around Rubisco thus favouring the carboxylation reaction. Lastly, photorespiratory bypasses are also covered in this review.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16808,"journal":{"name":"Journal of plant physiology","volume":"307 ","pages":"Article 154470"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of plant physiology","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0176161725000525","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PLANT SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Food security remains a pressing issue due to the growing global population and climate change, including the global warming along with increased atmospheric CO2 levels, which can negatively impact C3 crop yields. A major limitation in C3 plants is the inefficiency of Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) due to its low carboxylation activity and competing oxygenase activity. Improving Rubisco efficiency in C3 plants is thus essential for improving photosynthetic performance. Recent advances in synthetic biology have introduced promising strategies to overcome these limitations. This review highlights the latest synthetic biology and gene transformation techniques aimed at optimizing Rubsico carboxylation efficiency. Next, direct approaches such as engineering Rubisco subunits by replacing plant Rubisco with proteins from other organisms are discussed. Additionally, indirect strategies involve modifications of Rubisco-interacting proteins and adjustment of Rubisco environment. We explore CO2-concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) based on pyrenoids and carboxysomes, which increase local CO2 concentrations around Rubisco thus favouring the carboxylation reaction. Lastly, photorespiratory bypasses are also covered in this review.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Plant Physiology is a broad-spectrum journal that welcomes high-quality submissions in all major areas of plant physiology, including plant biochemistry, functional biotechnology, computational and synthetic plant biology, growth and development, photosynthesis and respiration, transport and translocation, plant-microbe interactions, biotic and abiotic stress. Studies are welcome at all levels of integration ranging from molecules and cells to organisms and their environments and are expected to use state-of-the-art methodologies. Pure gene expression studies are not within the focus of our journal. To be considered for publication, papers must significantly contribute to the mechanistic understanding of physiological processes, and not be merely descriptive, or confirmatory of previous results. We encourage the submission of papers that explore the physiology of non-model as well as accepted model species and those that bridge basic and applied research. For instance, studies on agricultural plants that show new physiological mechanisms to improve agricultural efficiency are welcome. Studies performed under uncontrolled situations (e.g. field conditions) not providing mechanistic insight will not be considered for publication.
The Journal of Plant Physiology publishes several types of articles: Original Research Articles, Reviews, Perspectives Articles, and Short Communications. Reviews and Perspectives will be solicited by the Editors; unsolicited reviews are also welcome but only from authors with a strong track record in the field of the review. Original research papers comprise the majority of published contributions.