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Related Concept Videos

C4 Pathway and CAM01:27

C4 Pathway and CAM

Most plants use the C3 pathway for carbon fixation. However, some plants, such as sugar cane, corn, and cacti that grow in hot conditions, use alternative pathways to fix carbon and conserve energy loss due to photorespiration. Photorespiration is the process that occurs when the oxygen concentration is high. Under such conditions, the rubisco enzyme in the Calvin cycle binds O2 instead of CO2, which halts photosynthesis and consumes energy.
C4 Pathway
The C4 pathway is used by plants such as...
The Calvin Benson Cycle01:46

The Calvin Benson Cycle

Ribulose 1,5- bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCo) is a critical enzyme that catalyzes carbon dioxide assimilation during photosynthesis. However, it is an inefficient enzyme, having an extremely slow catalytic rate. A typical enzyme can process about a thousand molecules per second; however, RuBisCo fixes only around three-carbon dioxides per second. Photosynthetic cells compensate for this slow rate by synthesizing very high amounts of RuBisCo, making it the most abundant single...
The Z-Scheme of Electron Transport in Photosynthesis01:34

The Z-Scheme of Electron Transport in Photosynthesis

The light reactions of photosynthesis assume a linear flow of electrons from water to NADP+. During this process, light energy drives the splitting of water molecules to produce oxygen. However, oxidation of water molecules is a thermodynamically unfavorable reaction and requires a strong oxidizing agent. This is accomplished by the first product of light reactions: oxidized P680 (or P680+), the most powerful oxidizing agent known in biology. The oxidized P680 that acquires an electron from the...
Origin of Photosynthesis01:26

Origin of Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis represents a fundamental biological process that transformed Earth's atmosphere and paved the way for complex life. Emerging roughly 3.4–3.8 billion years ago, the earliest photosynthetic organisms harnessed light energy to produce organic compounds. These anoxygenic phototrophs used electron donors like hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) or ferrous iron (Fe²⁺), rather than water, and did not release molecular oxygen (O₂) as a byproduct. Various groups, including green sulfur and purple...
Oxygenic Photosynthesis01:26

Oxygenic Photosynthesis

Oxygenic photosynthesis is a fundamental process in which light energy is harnessed to drive the oxidation of water, leading to the production of molecular oxygen (O₂), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). This process is essential for sustaining aerobic life on Earth and is primarily carried out by cyanobacteria, algae, and plants. The core of oxygenic photosynthesis lies in the thylakoid membranes, where chlorophyll pigments facilitate light...
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Photosystems

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Assessing Structural Traits in Triticum aestivum and Zea mays for C3 and C4 Photosynthetic Differentiation Using Free-hand and Semi-thin Sections
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Setaria viridis: a model for C4 photosynthesis.

Thomas P Brutnell1, Lin Wang, Kerry Swartwood

  • 1Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA. tpb8@cornell.edu

The Plant Cell
|August 10, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Setaria viridis, a close relative of C4 grasses, is a new model for studying C4 photosynthesis. Advances in its genetic system will accelerate research into improving crop productivity and efficiency.

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Last Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Assessing Structural Traits in Triticum aestivum and Zea mays for C3 and C4 Photosynthetic Differentiation Using Free-hand and Semi-thin Sections
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Area of Science:

  • Plant Biology
  • Crop Science
  • Photosynthesis Research

Background:

  • C4 photosynthesis enhances crop productivity and resource use efficiency.
  • Engineering C4 traits into C3 crops is a key target for agricultural improvement.
  • Limited genetic model systems hinder research into C4 photosynthesis regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight Setaria viridis as a powerful genetic model for C4 photosynthesis research.
  • To summarize recent advancements enabling genetic studies in S. viridis.
  • To facilitate the dissection of regulatory networks underlying the C4 syndrome.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing Setaria viridis, a close relative of major C4 grasses.
  • Leveraging S. viridis's rapid life cycle and small genome for genetic studies.
  • Employing NADP-malic enzyme subtype C4 photosynthetic system for carbon fixation.

Main Results:

  • Successful regeneration of plants from seed callus.
  • Establishment of a transient transformation system.
  • Development of stable transformation protocols for S. viridis.

Conclusions:

  • Setaria viridis is a promising genetic model for C4 photosynthesis research.
  • Recent advancements significantly accelerate the use of S. viridis as a model system.
  • This research paves the way for engineering C4 traits into crops for enhanced productivity.