MIT Boosts Rubisco Efficiency by 25%

In a groundbreaking study, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have achieved a 25% increase in the efficiency of the Rubisco enzyme, a pivotal component in photosynthesis. (sciencedaily.com)

Rubisco, or ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, is the most abundant enzyme on Earth, facilitating the incorporation of carbon dioxide into sugars during photosynthesis. Despite its abundance, Rubisco is notoriously inefficient, catalyzing only one to ten reactions per second. (sciencedaily.com)

The inefficiency of Rubisco is further compounded by its tendency to react with oxygen, leading to photorespiration—a process that reduces the overall efficiency of photosynthesis and can result in the loss of previously fixed carbon dioxide. (sciencedaily.com)

To address these challenges, the MIT team employed a cutting-edge mutagenesis technique known as MutaT7. This method allows for simultaneous mutagenesis and screening within living cells, significantly accelerating the process and enabling the investigation of a broader range of mutations. (sciencedaily.com)

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The researchers began with a version of Rubisco isolated from a family of semi-anaerobic bacteria known as Gallionellaceae, which naturally thrive in low-oxygen environments. By exposing Escherichia coli bacteria to atmospheric levels of oxygen, they created selective pressure for evolutionary adaptation. After six rounds of directed evolution, the team identified three mutations that improved Rubisco’s resistance to oxygen. These mutations are located near the enzyme’s active site and enhance its ability to preferentially interact with carbon dioxide over oxygen, leading to an overall increase in carboxylation efficiency. (sciencedaily.com)

Matthew Shoulders, the Class of 1942 Professor of Chemistry at MIT, remarked, “This is, I think, a compelling demonstration of successful improvement of a Rubisco’s enzymatic properties, holding out a lot of hope for engineering other forms of Rubisco.” (sciencedaily.com)

The implications of this research are profound. By enhancing Rubisco’s efficiency, plants could potentially increase their photosynthetic rates, leading to higher crop yields. This advancement is particularly crucial in the context of global food security, as the world population continues to grow, placing increased demand on agricultural production.

The MIT team plans to apply their technique to forms of Rubisco found in plants. Previous studies have shown that improving Rubisco’s efficiency in plants can lead to significant increases in photosynthetic rates and crop yields. For instance, research from Cornell University demonstrated that combining a more efficient Rubisco enzyme with plants predisposed to absorb more carbon dioxide resulted in a 25% increase in photosynthesis rates. (cornellsun.com)

However, engineering Rubisco for plants presents unique challenges. Unlike bacteria, plants have complex cellular structures and require specific chaperones for proper enzyme assembly. To address this, researchers have developed systems to express functional plant Rubisco in bacterial hosts by simultaneously expressing plant chaperones and Rubisco in the same cells. This approach not only aids in understanding the complex assembly pathway of Rubisco but also facilitates the modification of the Rubisco gene to improve its properties. (biochem.mpg.de)

The potential benefits of enhancing Rubisco efficiency extend beyond increased crop yields. Improved photosynthesis could also contribute to climate change mitigation by enhancing carbon dioxide fixation. As plants become more efficient at capturing and converting carbon dioxide, they can help offset greenhouse gas emissions, playing a role in combating global warming.

In conclusion, the MIT team’s innovative approach to enhancing Rubisco efficiency marks a significant step forward in agricultural biotechnology. By improving this fundamental enzyme, they have opened new avenues for increasing crop yields and addressing the challenges posed by a growing global population and changing climate conditions.

References:

• MIT scientists just supercharged the enzyme that powers all plant life. ScienceDaily. July 8, 2025. (sciencedaily.com)

• MIT chemists boost the efficiency of a key enzyme in photosynthesis. MIT Department of Chemistry. July 8, 2025. (chemistry.mit.edu)

• Cornell Researchers Study Rubisco Enzyme in Hopes of Increasing Photosynthesis Efficiency in Plants. The Cornell Daily Sun. June 8, 2022. (cornellsun.com)

• Engineering photosynthesis: progress and challenges. F1000Research. 2023. (f1000research.com)

• The future of crop engineering. Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry. December 8, 2017. (biochem.mpg.de)

• Inaugural J-WAFS Grand Challenge aims to develop enhanced crop variants and move them from lab to land. MIT News. May 10, 2023. (news.mit.edu)

• Enhanced photosynthesis in crops (EPiC). Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab (J-WAFS). 2023. (jwafs.mit.edu)

• MIT Chemists Enhance Bacterial Rubisco Efficiency by 25% Through Directed Evolution. SSBCrack News. July 8, 2025. (news.ssbcrack.com)

• Mutagenesis technique boosts the efficiency of rubisco, a key enzyme in photosynthesis. Phys.org. July 7, 2025. (phys.org)

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• RuBisCO. Wikipedia. (en.wikipedia.org)