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Biochemical characterization of predicted Precambrian RuBisCO

Author

Listed:
  • Patrick M. Shih

    (University of California
    Present address: Joint BioEnergy Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.)

  • Alessandro Occhialini

    (Rothamsted Research, Harpenden)

  • Jeffrey C. Cameron

    (University of California)

  • P John Andralojc

    (Rothamsted Research, Harpenden)

  • Martin A. J. Parry

    (Rothamsted Research, Harpenden
    Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University)

  • Cheryl A. Kerfeld

    (University of California
    DOE Plant Research Laboratories, Michigan State University
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

Abstract

The antiquity and global abundance of the enzyme, RuBisCO, attests to the crucial and longstanding role it has played in the biogeochemical cycles of Earth over billions of years. The counterproductive oxygenase activity of RuBisCO has persisted over billions of years of evolution, despite its competition with the carboxylase activity necessary for carbon fixation, yet hypotheses regarding the selective pressures governing RuBisCO evolution have been limited to speculation. Here we report the resurrection and biochemical characterization of ancestral RuBisCOs, dating back to over one billion years ago (Gyr ago). Our findings provide an ancient point of reference revealing divergent evolutionary paths taken by eukaryotic homologues towards improved specificity for CO2, versus the evolutionary emphasis on increased rates of carboxylation observed in bacterial homologues. Consistent with these distinctions, in vivo analysis reveals the propensity of ancestral RuBisCO to be encapsulated into modern-day carboxysomes, bacterial organelles central to the cyanobacterial CO2 concentrating mechanism.

Suggested Citation

  • Patrick M. Shih & Alessandro Occhialini & Jeffrey C. Cameron & P John Andralojc & Martin A. J. Parry & Cheryl A. Kerfeld, 2016. "Biochemical characterization of predicted Precambrian RuBisCO," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-11, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms10382
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10382
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    Cited by:

    1. Tao Ni & Yaqi Sun & Will Burn & Monsour M. J. Al-Hazeem & Yanan Zhu & Xiulian Yu & Lu-Ning Liu & Peijun Zhang, 2022. "Structure and assembly of cargo Rubisco in two native α-carboxysomes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.

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