Response to Tcherkez and Farquhar: Rubisco adaptation is more limited by phylogenetic constraint than by catalytic trade-off

Interspecific variation in Rubisco CO2/O2 specificity along the leaf economic spectrum across 23 woody angiosperm plants in the Pacific islands

The coordinated interspecific variation in leaf traits and leaf lifespan is known as the leaf economic spectrum (LES). The limitation of CO2 diffusion to chloroplasts within the lamina is significant in C3 photosynthesis, resulting in a shortage of CO2 for Rubisco. Although Rubisco CO2/O2 specificity (SC/O) should be adaptively adjusted in response to the interspecific variation in CO2 concentrations [CO2] associated with Rubisco, SC/O variations across species along the LES remain unknown. We investigated the coordination among leaf traits, including SC/O, CO2 conductance, leaf protein content, and leaf mass area, across 23 woody C3 species coexisting on an oceanic island through phylogenetic correlation analyses. A high SC/O indicates a high CO2 specificity of Rubisco. SC/O was negatively correlated with [CO2] at Rubisco and total CO2 conductance within lamina, while it was positively correlated with leaf protein across species, regardless of phylogenetic constraint. A simulation analysis shows that the optimal SC/O for maximizing photosynthesis depends on both [CO2] at Rubisco sites and leaf protein per unit leaf area. SC/O is a key parameter along the LES axis and is crucial for maximizing photosynthesis across species and the adaptation of woody plants.

Rubisco is evolving for improved catalytic efficiency and CO2 assimilation in plants

Rubisco is the primary entry point for carbon into the biosphere. However, rubisco is widely regarded as inefficient leading many to question whether the enzyme can adapt to become a better catalyst. Through a phylogenetic investigation of the molecular and kinetic evolution of Form I rubisco we uncover the evolutionary trajectory of rubisco kinetic evolution in angiosperms. We show that rbcL is among the 1% of slowest-evolving genes and enzymes on Earth, accumulating one nucleotide substitution every 0.9 My and one amino acid mutation every 7.2 My. Despite this, rubisco catalysis has been continually evolving toward improved CO2/O2 specificity, carboxylase turnover, and carboxylation efficiency. Consistent with this kinetic adaptation, increased rubisco evolution has led to a concomitant improvement in leaf-level CO2 assimilation. Thus, rubisco has been slowly but continually evolving toward improved catalytic efficiency and CO2 assimilation in plants.

Evolution: Unearthing missing links in the origin of our planet's primary carbon-fixing enzyme

Form I rubisco underpins life on Earth, but the origins of its anomalous and highly complex multimeric structure have long proven elusive. New research helps to unravel this enigma by uncovering key missing links in the enzyme's evolutionary history.