Swedish researchers have identified promising enzyme mutations that could help improve carbon dioxide uptake and support the development of more productive, climate-resilient crops.
Scientists at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden have identified genetic changes that could help make photosynthesis more efficient, potentially opening new opportunities to improve crop productivity and resilience to climate change.
The research focused on Rubisco, an enzyme that allows plants to capture carbon dioxide and convert it into material needed for growth. Although essential to photosynthesis, Rubisco is relatively inefficient, sometimes reacting with oxygen instead of carbon dioxide. This process forces plants to expend additional energy that could otherwise support growth.
Researchers created and tested approximately 15,000 modified versions of bacterial Rubisco to identify mutations that could improve its performance. Several promising variants reduced unwanted reactions with oxygen while maintaining the enzyme’s ability to process carbon dioxide, according to a press release.
The team focused on bacterial Rubisco because its simpler structure allows scientists to test large numbers of genetic variations more easily than with plant enzymes.
A Step Toward More Productive Crops
Using a high-throughput screening platform, researchers tracked how individual and combined mutations affected enzyme performance and the growth of photosynthetic bacteria.
Two leading variants showed reduced oxygen reactions while maintaining useful carbon dioxide processing rates, although both involved trade-offs in overall efficiency.
The study also revealed challenges for crop improvement. Mutations that performed well individually often lost their benefits when combined, while computer models struggled to predict those interactions.
The findings could help scientists develop better tools for engineering Rubisco and eventually improving photosynthesis in crops. More efficient carbon dioxide processing could potentially support greater plant growth and productivity, although the benefits have not yet been demonstrated in crops.
Researchers are now investigating additional enzyme modifications and testing promising candidates in plant cells. Further research will be needed to determine whether these improvements can translate into higher yields and stronger crop performance under challenging growing conditions.
The findings were published in Science Advances.
