Glycine decarboxylase in C3, C4 and C3–C4 intermediate species. (June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schulze, Stefanie; Westhoff, Peter; Gowik, Udo
• Is Part Of: Current opinion in plant biology. Volume 31(2016)
• Page Start: 29
• Page End: 35
• Publication Date: 2016-06
• Subjects: Plant molecular biology -- Periodicals; 571.205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2016.03.011
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1369-5266

Abstract

Highlights: Overexpression of GDC subunits can increase the flux through photorespiration. Efficient photorespiration can enhance the photosynthetic efficiency. Restriction of GDC to the bundle sheath established the photorespiratory CO2 pump. The photorespiratory CO2 pump might have been the starting point of C4 evolution. Abstract : The glycine decarboxylase complex (GDC) plays a central role in photorespiration. GDC is localized in the mitochondria and together with serine hydroxymethyltransferase it converts two molecules of glycine to one molecule of serine, CO2 and NH3 . Overexpression of GDC subunits in the C3 species Arabidopsis thaliana can increase the metabolic flux through the photorespiratory pathway leading to enhanced photosynthetic efficiency and consequently to an enhanced biomass production of the transgenic plants. Changing the spatial expression patterns of GDC subunits was an important step during the evolution of C3–C4 intermediate and likely also C4 plants. Restriction of the GDC activity to the bundle sheath cells led to the establishment of a photorespiratory CO2 pump.