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Related Concept Videos

The Calvin Benson Cycle01:46

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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...
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C4 Pathway and CAM01:27

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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...
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Carbon-dioxide Fixation01:28

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Carbon dioxide fixation in prokaryotes enables the assimilation of inorganic carbon into organic molecules, supporting biosynthetic pathways, sustaining ecosystems, and contributing to the global carbon cycle. It also has industrial applications in carbon capture and bioproduct synthesis. Autotrophic organisms rely on this process to utilize CO₂ as a carbon source in diverse environments.The Calvin CycleThe Calvin cycle is the most widespread carbon fixation mechanism, primarily used by...
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The Calvin Cycle01:40

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OverviewOxygenic photosynthesis plays a central role in the global carbon and oxygen cycles. The carbohydrates produced support nearly all food webs, while the oxygen by‑product enables aerobic life.Light‑dependent and light‑independent reactionsPhotosynthesis occurs in two main stages, each in a different part of the chloroplast: light‑dependent reactions and light‑independent reactions, also called the Calvin‑Benson cycle or simply the Calvin...
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What is Photosynthesis?00:39

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Photosynthesis is a multipart, biochemical process that occurs in plants as well as in some bacteria. It captures carbon dioxide and solar energy to produce glucose. Glucose stores chemical energy in the form of carbohydrates. The overall biochemical formula of photosynthesis is 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + Light energy → C6H12O6 + 6 O2. Photosynthesis releases oxygen into the atmosphere and is largely responsible for maintaining the Earth’s atmospheric oxygen content.
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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...
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Arabidopsis photorespiration is not limited by mitochondrial serine hydroxymethyltransferase 1.

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Improved photorespiration has a major impact on the root metabolome of Arabidopsis.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 16, 2025

Evaluation of Photosynthetic Efficiency in Photorespiratory Mutants by Chlorophyll Fluorescence Analysis
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Evaluation of Photosynthetic Efficiency in Photorespiratory Mutants by Chlorophyll Fluorescence Analysis

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Photorespiration - Rubisco's repair crew.

Hermann Bauwe1

  • 1University of Rostock, Plant Physiology, Albert-Einstein-Straße 3, D-18051, Rostock, Germany.

Journal of Plant Physiology
|December 25, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Photorespiration, an ancient pathway in plants, salvages toxic 2-phosphoglycolate (2PG) to prevent photosynthesis from self-destructing. Understanding its enzymes and metabolic interactions is key to improving crop yields.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Plant Physiology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Oxygenic photosynthesis evolved in cyanobacteria, leading to the enzyme ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (Rubisco).
  • Rubisco's dual activity with O2 produces 2-phosphoglycolate (2PG), inhibiting photosynthesis.
  • Photorespiration evolved as a repair pathway to detoxify 2PG and sustain photosynthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and update knowledge on plant photorespiration's enzyme components and catalytic mechanisms.
  • To explore photorespiration's interactions with other metabolic pathways.
  • To assess photorespiration's impact on the evolution of photosynthesis and crop improvement.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on photorespiration.
Keywords:
EvolutionPhotorespirationPhotosynthesis

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  • Analysis of enzyme functions and catalytic mechanisms.
  • Metabolic network modeling and flux analysis.

    • Main Results:

    • Photorespiration involves ten enzymes across three organelles, with interorganellar transport.
    • CO2-concentrating mechanisms (e.g., in C4 plants) suppress photorespiration, enhancing CO2 fixation.
    • Photorespiration, though costly, is essential for preventing photosynthetic self-inhibition.

    Conclusions:

    • Understanding photorespiration's enzymatic basis and metabolic integration is crucial for crop improvement.
    • Viewing photorespiration as an enabling process, not just a loss, aids rational strategies for enhancing photosynthesis.
    • Further research can leverage metabolic modeling to optimize plant productivity.