Tsukuba, Japan—Plants and algae fix carbon through photosynthesis, which converts CO 2 to organic carbon. This biological process is catalyzed by the Rubisco enzyme, the most abundant protein on Earth. In many algae, Rubisco is densely packed into a microcompartment called the pyrenoid , which plays an important role in the CO 2 accumulation in aquatic environments. Notably, approximately one-third of global carbon fixation is estimated to occur within algal pyrenoids. Apart from Rubisco, the primary component of pyrenoids, the pyrenoid-associated proteins in most algae remain unclarified.
In this study, pyrenoid-associated proteins in a marine chlorarachniophyte alga were identified through a proteomic approach. Some of these proteins are apparently involved in pyrenoid construction and CO 2 concentration. Interestingly, various pyrenoid-associated proteins have been reported among the algae studied to date, suggesting that CO 2 -fixing organelles evolved independently in each algal group. This is an example of convergent evolution at the molecular level.
Genetic engineering of plants using algal genes is underway to increase the photosynthetic performance. The pyrenoid-associated proteins reported herein are a potential basis for improving crop productivity in the future.
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This work was funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI Grant Numbers 18K06358 and 21K06285, and by the Institute for Fermentation, Osaka (LA-2022-011).
Title of original paper:
Pyrenoid proteomics reveals independent evolution of CO2-concentrating organelle in chlorarachniophytes
Journal:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Assistant Professor HIRAKAWA, Yoshihisa
Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba
Professor NAGASATO, Chikako
Muroran Marine Station, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University
Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Pyrenoid proteomics reveals independent evolution of the CO2-concentrating organelle in chlorarachniophytes
26-Feb-2024