Rubisco

Abstract Rubisco, formally known as ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylase/oxygenase , is the chloroplast enzyme that assimilates atmospheric carbon dioxide during photosynthesis by combining it with RuBP to form two molecules of phosphoglycerate. However, Rubisco allows oxygen to react with RuBP in addition to carbon dioxide, producing phosphoglycolate, and thereby also initiates the process known as photorespiration. Genetic modification to overcome the limitations of Rubisco would have great agronomic importance.