Can efficient algal variants of the photosynthetic CO2-fixing enzyme, Rubisco, be folded and assembled in functional forms in higher-plant plastids?

高效的光合作用二氧化碳固定酶Rubisco的藻类变体能否在高等植物质体中以功能形式折叠和组装？我们已经证明，通过设计叶绿体基因组来取代植物的二氧化碳固定酶Rubisco，用细菌的同源物来改变植物的光合作用表型是可能的。因此，用更有效的藻类RuBiscos取代植物酶是可能的，这样植物就可以在更少的光线、更少的水或更少的肥料下生长。在实现对植物表型的这种理想变化之前，需要解决Rubisco亚基的修饰、折叠和组装等一些复杂的问题。这项提议解决了这些问题。

Can efficient algal variants of the photosynthetic CO2-fixing enzyme, Rubisco, be folded and assembled in functional forms in higher-plant plastids? We have shown that it is possible to alter the photosynthetic phenotype of a plant predictably and profoundly by engineering the plastid genome to replace the plant's CO2-fixing enzyme, Rubisco, with a bacterial homolog. Thus it may be possible to replace the plant enzyme with more efficient algal Rubiscos that would allow plants to grow with less light, less water or less fertiliser. Before such desirable changes to the plant phenotype can be realised, some complex issues of modification, folding and assembly of Rubisco subunits need to be resolved. This proposal addresses them.