| FEB4 | |
| Project ID |  FEB4 [Protein] |
| Project Theme | Structual and functional analyses of enzymes involved in a new carbon dioxide fixation system and their functional improvement |
| Project Theme (short) | Carbon dioxide fixation enzymes |
| Principal Investigator | Kunio Miki |
| Affiliation | Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University |
| Backgrounds | - Improvements in the carbon fixation efficiency could lead to decrease in the atmospheric carbon dioxide and increase in the yield of agricultural production - The key enzyme of the carbon fixation is Rubisco - We had discovered type III Rubisco in hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis (Tk) and two novel enzymes involved in its carbon fixation pathway |
| Highlights | - We have determined the structures and functions of the two novel enzymes - Design of Tk-Rubisco with improved enzymatic activities is in progress based on its structural information |
| Outline | Atmospheric carbon dioxide is converted into organic compounds such as glucose by plants and some microorganisms. The process is called carbon fixation. Improvements in the carbon fixation efficiency could lead to decrease in the atmospheric carbon dioxide and increase in the yield of agricultural productions. Majority of carbon dioxide consumption on the earth is carried out by the carbon fixation in the photosynthetic reactions used by the Calvin cycle in green plants photosynthetic bacteria. The key enzyme of the cycle is Rubisco (Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase). Four subtypes of Bubiscos are known in which we discovered type III Rubisco in hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis and two novel enzymes involved in its carbon fixation pathway. Here, we will investigate the structures and functions of the two enzymes. Since type III Rubisco found in the hyperthermophile is active even in room temperature, its modification for industrial applications are scheduled. |
| Review | IEEE Trans Nanobioscience |
| CSML File | FEB4.csml |