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Rice Genetics IV - IRRI books - International Rice Research Institute

Rice Genetics IV - IRRI books - International Rice Research Institute

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initially fixed by phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) in the mesophyll cell toform a C 4 compound, oxaloacetate (OAA). OAA is subsequently converted to malate.Malate is then transferred to the bundle sheath cell and then decarboxylated by NADPdependentmalic enzyme (NADP-ME). CO 2 released from this decarboxylation reactionis refixed in the Calvin cycle by Rubisco, as in C 3 plants. To complete the cycle,pyruvate produced by the malate decarboxylation is transferred to the mesophyll chloroplastand phosphorylated to phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) via pyruvate, orthophosphatedikinase (PPDK) (Fig. 1).The introduction of C 4 traits through genetic engineering into rice (C 3 plant) wouldimprove photosynthetic efficiency. One of the major objectives in improving riceyield is to enhance the plant’s photosynthetic efficiency. It is necessary to developprotocols to express C 4 enzymes at high levels in C 3 plants. We report here the mechanismof evolution of C 4 photosynthesis genes, and the strategy for the high-levelexpression of C 4 genes in C 3 plants based on characteristics of C 4 genes.Evolution of a C 4-type PPDK geneThe genes involved in C 4 photosynthesis have been found in a variety of organisms,not only in C 4 and Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plants, but also in C 3 plantsRuBP2 PGAC 3 pathwayMesophyll cellCO 2RubiscoC 3 pathwayPyruvateRubiscoNADP-MECO 2Bundle sheath cellCO 2fixationPPDKPEPC 4 pathwayMalatePEPCOAAMesophyll cellCO 2concentrationCO 2Fig. 1. Comparison of C 3 and C 4 pathways. The C 3 pathway is locatedin mesophyll cells in C 3 plants, whereas the C 3 cycle is located inbundle sheath cells in C 4 plants. The major function of the C 4 pathwayis to concentrate CO 2 in the inner bundle sheath cells where Rubiscois located and thus suppress its oxygenase activity and the associatedphotorespiration. OAA = oxaloacetate, NADP-ME = NADP-malicenzyme, PEP = phosphoenolpyruvate, PGA = phosphoglycerate, RuBP= ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate.440 Matsuoka et al

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