Rubisco and Crop Output

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Structure

Rubisco is composed of 8 large subunits and 8 small subunits. The large subunits house the binding/active sites. In Rubisco, the active site of bonding is centered around a magnesium ion. (Telford) However, depending on the organism, Rubisco can also have a different shape. The magnesium ion in the center binds with the lysine on the large subunit. This, in turn, further helps with the Calvin cycle. (Harel, et. al) “The types of residues involved are acidic residues that interact with Mg2+, basic residues and histidines that interact with phosphate and hydroxyl groups, polar residues that interact with hydroxyl groups, one hydrophobic residue, and backbone atoms of several residues.” (Harel, et. al)

Function

Rubisco or ribulose- 1,5- bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase is an enzyme that is involved in photosynthesis in plants and is specifically found in chloroplasts. (Harel, et. al) Rubisco is used in the light dependent part of the Calvin cycle. In this cycle, it catalyzes the most important step of carbon fixation. It converts atmospheric carbon dioxide into useable sugar. It does this by using carbon dioxide to make an intermediate, and then finally, 3-Phosphoglycerate. Most all of this 3-Phosphoglycerate is recycled and able to use again. It adds carbons to ribulose bisphosphate and then cleaves the 6 carbons into 2 chains with 3 carbons. Rubisco can also help to oxidize RuBP, a sugar.

Relevance

Structural highlights

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