Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2017 Oct 26:6:1891.
doi: 10.12688/f1000research.12181.1. eCollection 2017.

Engineering photosynthesis: progress and perspectives

Douglas J Orr  1 , Auderlan M Pereira  2   3 , Paula da Fonseca Pereira  2   3 , Ítalo A Pereira-Lima  2   3 , Agustin Zsögön  3 , Wagner L Araújo  2   3
Affiliations
Review

Engineering photosynthesis: progress and perspectives

Douglas J Orr et al. F1000Res. .

Abstract

Photosynthesis is the basis of primary productivity on the planet. Crop breeding has sustained steady improvements in yield to keep pace with population growth increases. Yet these advances have not resulted from improving the photosynthetic process per se but rather of altering the way carbon is partitioned within the plant. Mounting evidence suggests that the rate at which crop yields can be boosted by traditional plant breeding approaches is wavering, and they may reach a "yield ceiling" in the foreseeable future. Further increases in yield will likely depend on the targeted manipulation of plant metabolism. Improving photosynthesis poses one such route, with simulations indicating it could have a significant transformative influence on enhancing crop productivity. Here, we summarize recent advances of alternative approaches for the manipulation and enhancement of photosynthesis and their possible application for crop improvement.

Keywords: CCM; Calvin-Benson cycle; Rubisco; crop improvement; light-use efficiency; photosynthesis.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.No competing interests were disclosed.No competing interests were disclosed.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. A number of routes are being studied to improve photosynthesis in crop plants.
These include (1) improving the efficiency of the primary CO 2-fixing enzyme Rubisco, (2) optimizing elements of the Calvin-Benson cycle, (3) introducing the carboxysome-based carbon concentrating mechanism (CCM) from cyanobacteria, (4) introducing an algal pyrenoid CCM, and (5) improving the photochemical response of photosynthesis to rapid changes in light conditions. Further studies are also related to attempts to convert C 3 crops such as rice to the more efficient C 4-type photosynthesis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Niklas KJ: Plant Evolution. 1st ed. Chicago, USA: University of Chicago Press,2016;560 Reference Source
    1. Hohmann-Marriott MF, Blankenship RE: Evolution of photosynthesis. Annu Rev Plant Biol. 2011;62:515–48. 10.1146/annurev-arplant-042110-103811 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Nelson N, Ben-Shem A: The complex architecture of oxygenic photosynthesis. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2004;5(12):971–82. 10.1038/nrm1525 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Martin W, Scheibe R, Schnarrenberger C: The Calvin Cycle and its regulation. In Springer Netherlands2000;9–51. 10.1007/0-306-48137-5_2 - DOI
    1. Harlan JR: Crops and man. American Society of Agronomy.1975. Reference Source

Grants and funding

This work was made possible through financial support from the Max Planck Society, the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq-Brazil grant no. 402511/2016-6), and the Foundation for Research Assistance of the Minas Gerais State (FAPEMIG-Brazil grant no. APQ 01078-15 and APQ 01357-14) to WLA. We also thank the scholarships granted by the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES-Brazil) to AMP and IAP-L. Research fellowship granted by CNPq-Brazil (grant no. 306281/2016-3) to WLA is also gratefully acknowledged.

LinkOut - more resources