The small subunit of Rubisco and its potential as an engineering target

Rubisco catalyses the first rate-limiting step in CO2 fixation and is responsible for the vast majority of organic carbon present in the biosphere. The function and regulation of Rubisco remain an important research topic and a longstanding engineering target to enhance the efficiency of photosynthesis for agriculture and green biotechnology. The most abundant form of Rubisco (Form I) consists of eight large and eight small subunits, and is found in all plants, algae, cyanobacteria, and most phototrophic and chemolithoautotrophic proteobacteria. Although the active sites of Rubisco are located on the large subunits, expression of the small subunit regulates the size of the Rubisco pool in plants and can influence the overall catalytic efficiency of the Rubisco complex. The small subunit is now receiving increasing attention as a potential engineering target to improve the performance of Rubisco. Here we review our current understanding of the role of the small subunit and our growing capacity to explore its potential to modulate Rubisco catalysis using engineering biology approaches. A review of the role of the small subunit of Rubisco in the evolution, assembly, activity, and regulation of Rubisco, and engineering opportunities to enhance crop performance.

Automated summary

Rubisco catalyses the first rate-limiting step in CO2 fixation and is responsible for the majority of organic carbon in the biosphere. The small subunit plays a crucial role in regulating the size of the Rubisco pool and the overall catalytic efficiency, making it a potential target for engineering to enhance Rubisco performance.