Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lu-Ning Liu
Summary: Carboxysomes are bacterial microcompartments that encapsulate the primary CO2-fixing enzyme Rubisco within a virus-like protein shell. They play a central role in CO2 fixation in bacteria by providing elevated levels of CO2 to maximize carboxylation. Recent research has provided new insights into the assembly and functional maintenance of carboxysomes in bacteria and has explored their potential applications in synthetic biology.
TRENDS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Warren Shou Leong Ang, Jian Ann How, Jian Boon How, Oliver Mueller-Cajar
Summary: Carbon dioxide is often concentrated near the Rubisco active sites through liquid-liquid phase separation. Recent studies have shown that highly concentrated Rubisco condensates are formed by this mechanism. Rubisco condensates are essential for photosynthesis and growth, making them a powerful model for investigating the relationship between phase separation and biological structure-function.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Elena V. Kupriyanova, Natalia A. Pronina, Dmitry A. Los
Summary: This review summarizes recent advances in the study of intracellular accumulation of inorganic carbon (C-i) in microalgae and cyanobacteria, revealing the third CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM) in addition to the known CCM schemes in CAM and C-4 higher plants. CCM enables efficient CO2 fixation in the reductive pentose phosphate (RPP) cycle by coordinating carbonic anhydrases and CO2/HCO3- uptake systems. It functions as an add-on to the RPP cycle and as an important regulatory link in the interaction of dark and light reactions of photosynthesis.
Review
Microbiology
Markus Sutter, Cheryl A. Kerfeld, Kathleen M. Scott
Summary: Carboxysomes are proteinaceous microcompartments responsible for a significant amount of CO2 fixation on Earth. They facilitate CO2 fixation by concentrating it in cells and converting HCO3- to CO2. The structural components and genetic context of atypical carboxysomes are described in this review.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Jessica M. Ochoa, Todd O. Yeates
Summary: Bacterial microcompartments are organelle-like structures composed entirely of proteins that enhance metabolic functions. Recent studies have highlighted nuanced variations in microcompartment shell proteins, showing how variation and specialization enable complex molecular machine construction. Engineering synthetic miniaturized microcompartment shells provides additional frameworks for dissecting principles of microcompartment structure and assembly.
CURRENT OPINION IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Mao Suganami, Yuji Suzuki, Youshi Tazoe, Wataru Yamori, Amane Makino
Summary: The overproduction of Rubisco often leads to a decline in Rubisco activation, but co-overproducing Rubisco and RCA in transgenic rice plants can enhance photosynthesis within the optimal temperature range. The activation state of Rubisco plays a key role in CO2 assimilation under high-temperature conditions.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel S. Trettel, Chris Neale, Mingfei Zhao, S. Gnanakaran, C. Raul Gonzalez-Esquer
Summary: Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are protein organelles with an inner enzymatic core encased in a selectively permeable shell. It has been found that the properties of the shell affect ion permeability, which in turn influences the permeation rate of substrates.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Daniel A. Raba, Cheryl A. Kerfeld
Summary: The application of nanotechnology to plants, known as phytonanotechnology, has the potential to revolutionize plant research and agricultural production, improving crop yield and disease resistance.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kazi Waheeda, Heidi Kitchel, Quan Wang, Po-Lin Chiu
Summary: This article introduces the limiting step of photosynthetic carbon fixation, which is the ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylase-oxygenase (Rubisco) enzyme, and its co-evolved chaperone, Rubisco activase (Rca). Rca removes the intrinsic sugar phosphate inhibitors occupying the Rubisco active site, allowing RuBP to split into two 3-phosphoglycerate (3PGA) molecules. This review summarizes the evolution, structure, and function of Rca and describes recent findings regarding the mechanistic model of Rubisco activation by Rca. Knowledge in these areas can significantly enhance crop engineering techniques used to improve crop productivity.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Nghiem Dinh Nguyen, Sacha B. Pulsford, Wei Yi Hee, Benjamin D. Rae, Loraine M. Rourke, G. Dean Price, Benedict M. Long
Summary: Two types of carboxysomes, alpha-type and beta-type, with different structures and enzymatic activities have been characterized. Hybrid carboxysomes could be formed by combining these two types, which may enhance crop yields in plant chloroplasts. However, an enzyme was found to be incapable of interacting with carbonic anhydrase, suggesting a possible obstacle for hybrid carboxysome formation.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Carl Simon Strittmatter, Jessica Eggers, Vanessa Biesgen, Inga Pauels, Florian Becker, Alexander Steinbuechel
Summary: This article investigates the application of crude glycerol as a cheap carbon source for industrial-scale cultivation of microorganisms. The growth rate of Cupriavidus necator H16 (synonym: Ralstonia eutropha H16), a biopolymer producer, on glycerol was significantly accelerated by heterologous expression of glycerol facilitator glpF, glycerol kinase glpK, and glycerol dehydrogenase glpD from E. coli. The study suggests that natural glycerol utilization is inhibited by low glycerol kinase activity and that CO2 fixation by the Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) cycle is essential for mixotrophic growth. Furthermore, the deletion of putative RuBisCO-activases (AAA + ATPase) encoding cbbX copies resulted in a sharp slowdown of growth and glycerol consumption.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Markus Sutter, Cheryl A. Kerfeld
Summary: Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are protein-based organelles with unique shell proteins and selective permeability. We have developed a webserver tool using HMM profiles to analyze and categorize BMCs, providing users with information and a reference database.
Article
Agronomy
Sang Yeol Kim, Rebecca A. Slattery, Donald R. Ort
Summary: In C-4 grasses, the Rca-alpha isoform plays a crucial role in thermoprotection by sustaining Rubisco activation at high temperatures, ensuring efficient carbon fixation.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY BIOENERGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemical Research Methods
Iria Bernhardsgruetter, Gabriele M. M. Stoffel, Tarryn E. Miller, Tobias J. Erb
Summary: Utilizing carboxylases to capture and convert CO2 is crucial for realizing a circular, carbon-neutral economy; interest in utilizing and engineering carboxylases has been steadily growing in recent years; pioneering efforts in the field have paved the way for a diverse CO2-fixation biochemistry that can find application in various industries.
CURRENT OPINION IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Sebastia Capo-Bauca, Jeroni Galmes, Pere Aguilo-Nicolau, Sonia Ramis-Pozuelo, Concepcion Iniguez
Summary: Seaweeds have evolved different forms of Rubisco and CO2 concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) to adapt to the low CO2 availability in seawater. In this study, we found diversity in Rubisco kinetic traits across different macroalgal species, with ID Rubiscos being better adapted to the intracellular O-2 : CO2 ratio in marine organisms. Furthermore, the effectiveness of CCMs differed among species but showed an inverse relationship with Rubisco carboxylation efficiency.
Article
Plant Sciences
Alex Wu, Jason Brider, Florian A. Busch, Min Chen, Karine Chenu, Victoria C. Clarke, Brian Collins, Maria Ermakova, John R. Evans, Graham D. Farquhar, Britta Forster, Robert T. Furbank, Michael Groszmann, Miguel A. Hernandez-Prieto, Benedict M. Long, Greg Mclean, Andries Potgieter, G. Dean Price, Robert E. Sharwood, Michael Stower, Erik van Oosterom, Susanne von Caemmerer, Spencer M. Whitney, Graeme L. Hammer
Summary: Photosynthetic manipulation provides new opportunities for enhancing crop yield, but the understanding of its impact on crop growth and yield in different environments is limited. This study used simulations to predict the effects of altering photosynthesis on wheat and sorghum yield and uncovered the complex interactions between photosynthesis and crop dynamics.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Taiyu Chen, Saba Riaz, Philip Davey, Ziyu Zhao, Yaqi Sun, Gregory F. Dykes, Fei Zhou, James Hartwell, Tracy Lawson, Peter J. Nixon, Yongjun Lin, Lu-Ning Liu
Summary: Researchers have successfully replaced plant Rubisco with a faster Rubisco in tobacco chloroplasts, resulting in a higher carboxylation rate and similar growth rate of transgenic plants compared to the wild-type under 1% CO2 concentration. This study represents a step towards engineering a fast and highly active Rubisco in chloroplasts to improve crop photosynthesis and growth.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Laura Bracun, Atsushi Yamagata, Bern M. Christianson, Mikako Shirouzu, Lu-Ning Liu
Summary: In this study, the structure of RC-LH1 supercomplex from purple photosynthetic bacteria Rhodobacter capsulatus is reported using cryo-EM. The RC-LH1 complexes in Rba. capsulatus are exclusively monomers surrounded by a LH1 ring. Insertion of transmembrane polypeptide PufX leads to a large opening within the LH1 ring. Comparison of PufX from different Rhodobacter species reveals the important residues involved in RC-LH1 dimerization.
Editorial Material
Microbiology
Weimin Ma, Lu-Ning Liu, Qiang Wang, Deqiang Duanmu, Bao-Sheng Qiu
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Nghiem Dinh Nguyen, Sacha B. Pulsford, Wei Yi Hee, Benjamin D. Rae, Loraine M. Rourke, G. Dean Price, Benedict M. Long
Summary: Two types of carboxysomes, alpha-type and beta-type, with different structures and enzymatic activities have been characterized. Hybrid carboxysomes could be formed by combining these two types, which may enhance crop yields in plant chloroplasts. However, an enzyme was found to be incapable of interacting with carbonic anhydrase, suggesting a possible obstacle for hybrid carboxysome formation.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Long-Sheng Zhao, Peng Wang, Kang Li, Quan-Bao Zhang, Fei-Yu He, Chun-Yang Li, Hai-Nan Su, Xiu-Lan Chen, Lu-Ning Liu, Yu-Zhong Zhang
Summary: This study reports the structure of the photosynthetic PSI-ACPI supercomplex in cryptophyte algae, which represents a unique structure in the evolution of photosynthesis. The supercomplex consists of a PSI core and ACPI subunits, with ACPI-S mediating the association and energy transfer between them. This research provides important insights into the energy transfer mechanisms of cryptophyte PSI-LHCI and the evolution of photosynthesis in the red lineage.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Taiyu Chen, Marta Hojka, Philip Davey, Yaqi Sun, Gregory F. Dykes, Fei Zhou, Tracy Lawson, Peter J. Nixon, Yongjun Lin, Lu-Ning Liu
Summary: Engineering carboxysomes into crop chloroplasts can enhance photosynthesis and crop yield. The authors successfully engineered functional CO2-fixing modules into tobacco chloroplasts, improving photosynthesis and productivity.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Owen Thwaites, Bern M. M. Christianson, Alexander J. J. Cowan, Frank Jackel, Lu-Ning Liu, Adrian M. M. Gardner
Summary: Elucidating the photosynthetic processes within RC-LH1 supercomplexes is crucial for understanding natural photosynthetic systems and developing artificial photosynthesis. This study examined the energy transfer in RC-LH1 supercomplexes of Rhodobacter sphaeroides and investigated the roles of transmembrane polypeptides PufX and PufY. The results showed that the absence of PufX increased the excitation energy transfer lifetime and distribution, while the absence of PufY led to conformational changes in LH1 subunits but did not affect the energy transfer lifetime significantly.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY B
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tao Ni, Qiuyao Jiang, Pei Cing Ng, Juan Shen, Hao Dou, Yanan Zhu, Julika Radecke, Gregory F. Dykes, Fang Huang, Lu-Ning Liu, Peijun Zhang
Summary: Carboxysomes are self-assembling proteinaceous organelles found in nature that enhance carbon fixation. This study synthetically engineers and determines cryoEM structure of minimal α-carboxysome shells to uncover the mechanism of shell assembly and encapsulation by CsoS2.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Qiuyao Jiang, Tianpei Li, Jing Yang, Catherine M. Aitchison, Jiafeng Huang, Yu Chen, Fang Huang, Qiang Wang, Andrew I. Cooper, Lu-Ning Liu
Summary: Researchers engineered the protein organelle in bacteria cells to encapsulate hydrogenases, resulting in improved hydrogen production and catalytic efficiency. This study provides a framework for developing new bio-inspired electrocatalysts for sustainable fuel and chemical production.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY B
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ruichao Mao, Han Zhang, Lihua Bie, Lu-Ning Liu, Jun Gao
Summary: Protein-protein interface interactions are crucial for efficient excitation energy transfer in photosystem II (PSII). This study constructs a large-scale model of the PSII-LHCII supercomplex and performs molecular dynamics simulations to investigate its interactions and assembly mechanisms. The results uncover the role of hydrophobic interactions in antenna-core association and highlight the importance of hydrogen bonds and salt bridges in interface binding. The findings provide insights into the self-organization and regulation of PSII-LHCII and lay the foundation for understanding assembly principles of photosynthetic supercomplexes and other macromolecular structures.
