Rubisco is evolving for improved catalytic efficiency and CO₂ assimilation in plants

Abstract

Rubisco is the primary entry point for carbon into the biosphere. However, rubisco is widely regarded as inefficient leading many to question whether the enzyme can adapt to become a better catalyst. Through a phylogenetic investigation of the molecular and kinetic evolution of Form I rubisco we demonstrate that rubisco is not stagnant. Instead, we demonstrate rbcL is among the 1% of slowest evolving genes and enzymes on Earth, accumulating one nucleotide substitution every 0.9 million years and one amino acid mutation every 7.2 million years. Despite this, we demonstrate that rubisco catalysis is continuing to evolve toward improved CO₂/O₂ specificity, carboxylase turnover, and carboxylation efficiency. Consistent with this kinetic adaptation, we reveal that increased rubisco evolution leads to a concomitant improvement in leaf-level CO₂ assimilation. Thus, rubisco is continually evolving toward improved catalytic efficiency and CO₂ assimilation in plants.