Remodelling encapsulin nanocages to help enhance plant carbon fixation

自然界已经进化出微生物系统中的机制，通过用二氧化碳饱和Rubisco酶来提高光合效率。这些碳浓缩机制在基因上很复杂，无法成功引入农作物。我们更简单的方法是使用一种由单一基因制成的强大的细菌含孔纳米笼的新来源。该项目将优化合成的Rubisco固碳纳米反应器的开发，并将其转化为叶片叶绿体，以测试其对植物光合作用和生长的影响。我们的基因更简单的解决方案将有助于正在进行的全球努力，以实现农业生产力的逾期阶跃变化。

Nature has evolved mechanisms in microbial systems to improve photosynthetic efficiency by saturating the enzyme Rubisco with carbon dioxide. These carbon concentrating mechanisms are genetically complex, precluding successful introduction into crops. Our simpler approach is to use encapsulins, a new source of robust bacterial pore-containing nanocages made from a single gene. This project will optimise the development of synthetic encapsulin-Rubisco carbon-fixing nanoreactors and transform them into leaf chloroplasts to test their impact on plant photosynthesis and growth. Our genetically simpler solution will aid ongoing global efforts to deliver overdue step change improvements in agricultural productivity.