PlumX Metrics
Embed PlumX Metrics

The phase separation underlying the pyrenoid-based microalgal Rubisco supercharger

Nature Communications, ISSN: 2041-1723, Vol: 9, Issue: 1, Page: 5076
2018
  • 93
    Citations
  • 0
    Usage
  • 157
    Captures
  • 2
    Mentions
  • 0
    Social Media
Metric Options:   Counts1 Year3 Year

Metrics Details

  • Citations
    93
  • Captures
    157
  • Mentions
    2
    • Blog Mentions
      1
      • Blog
        1
    • References
      1
      • Wikipedia
        1

Most Recent Blog

Cells, enzymes, and carbon dioxide

Photosynthesis has two parts—namely, the one that is concerned with light, and the other that is concerned with synthesis. The material side behind the names is composed of two sets of enzymes. One set transforms the energy of light into chemical energy and also creates oxygen in the majority of photosynthetic organisms by taking electrons from water molecules. The other set makes sugars from the

Article Description

The slow and promiscuous properties of the CO-fixing enzyme Rubisco constrain photosynthetic efficiency and have prompted the evolution of powerful CO concentrating mechanisms (CCMs). In eukaryotic microalgae a key strategy involves sequestration of the enzyme in the pyrenoid, a liquid non-membranous compartment of the chloroplast stroma. Here we show using pure components that two proteins, Rubisco and the linker protein Essential Pyrenoid Component 1 (EPYC1), are both necessary and sufficient to phase separate and form liquid droplets. The phase-separated Rubisco is functional. Droplet composition is dynamic and components rapidly exchange with the bulk solution. Heterologous and chimeric Rubiscos exhibit variability in their tendency to demix with EPYC1. The ability to dissect aspects of pyrenoid biochemistry in vitro will permit us to inform and guide synthetic biology ambitions aiming to engineer microalgal CCMs into crop plants.

Bibliographic Details

Wunder, Tobias; Cheng, Steven Le Hung; Lai, Soak-Kuan; Li, Hoi-Yeung; Mueller-Cajar, Oliver

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Chemistry; Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology; Physics and Astronomy

Provide Feedback

Have ideas for a new metric? Would you like to see something else here?Let us know