Quantifying the Amount and Activity of Rubisco in Leaves

The CO2-fixing enzyme Rubisco plays a crucial biological role as a primary determinant of both plant yield and the response of the biosphere to global change. Here, we describe techniques for measuring the amount and activity of Rubisco in higher plants. To accommodate a range of experimental capabilities, we describe basic radioisotopic methods as well as non-radioactive techniques. The required calculations are included. We discuss problems that commonly arise during the extraction and assay of Rubisco.