Along the trail from Fraction I protein to Rubisco (ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase)

This historical minireview deals with events leading to the eventual discovery of Rubisco (ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase). This abundant leaf protein is not only responsible for the net fixation of CO2 in all plants, but also causes the loss of carbon through photorespiration. The latter is a special 'problem' of the so-called 'C-3' plants. The protein was first called 'Fraction 1 protein' before it was recognized to be the same as Rubisco. Instead of reinventing words, text as needed has been freely used from three earlier publications (Wildman and Kwanyuen 1978; Wildman 1992, 1998).