Rubisco enzyme kinetics in plants

Rubisco (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase) is the enzyme responsible for carbon fixation in photosynthesis, catalyzing CO? incorporation into organic molecules. However, Rubisco also has an oxygenase activity, leading to photorespiration, a process that reduces photosynthetic efficiency. Due to its dual functionality and slow catalytic rate, Rubisco limits photosynthesis under suboptimal CO? conditions. Scientists explore Rubisco kinetics, studying its structure and function to increase photosynthetic efficiency in crops. Genetic engineering efforts to create Rubisco variants with improved CO? specificity or faster turnover rates hold promise in reducing photorespiration and enhancing crop productivity.