Scientists Package Key Photosynthesis Enzyme in Protein Box to Boost Crop Efficiency
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📰 The quick summary: Scientists have successfully packaged active Rubisco enzymes inside protein compartments, bringing us one step closer to engineering crops that use water and nitrogen more efficiently while potentially improving yields by up to 60%.
📈 One key stat: Engineering a carbon-concentrating mechanism into C3 crops could increase yields by up to 60%, helping meet the need to nearly double crop production in the next century.
💬 One key quote: “If C3 crops had a similar system, it could increase crop yields by up to 60%. Scientists have been trying to engineer such a system into these crops for many years, but it’s complicated.”
1️⃣ The big picture: Researchers have made significant progress toward engineering more productive crops by packaging Rubisco, the crucial enzyme in photosynthesis, inside protein compartments called encapsulins. This innovation mimics the efficient carbon-concentrating mechanisms found in cyanobacteria, which help plants use carbon dioxide more effectively. As Earth’s population grows and climate change intensifies, improving crop productivity becomes essential to secure food supplies. The breakthrough could eventually lead to crops that use water and nitrogen more efficiently while significantly boosting yields.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: The research opens possibilities for dramatically improving how plants photosynthesize, addressing a fundamental bottleneck in crop growth. By housing Rubisco enzymes in specially designed protein compartments, plants can potentially use carbon dioxide more efficiently and waste less energy, water, and nitrogen. This approach draws inspiration from cyanobacteria’s natural carbon-concentrating mechanisms but simplifies the complex structure into something more readily engineered into crops. Agricultural systems implementing this technology could require less water and fertilizer while producing more food, helping address both food security and sustainability challenges simultaneously.
3️⃣ What’s next: Scientists now plan to incorporate other components of the carbon-concentrating mechanism to create an optimal environment for Rubisco enzymes. These improved systems will then need to be engineered into actual crop plants for field testing. The path forward requires integrating this technology with existing crop varieties to create commercially viable seeds.
Read the full story here: The Conversation – Engineering crops to photosynthesise better just got one step closer to reality
