
Photorespiration significantly impacts crop productivity through reducing yields in C3 crops by as much as 50% under severe conditions. Thus, reducing the flux through, or improving the efficiency of photorespiration has the potential of large improvements in C3 crop productivity.
What causes photorespiration to increase in plants?
The bottom line is that hot, dry conditions tend to cause more photorespiration—unless plants have special features to minimize the problem. You can learn more about plant "workarounds" in the videos on C4 plants and CAM plants.
What is photorespiration and how does it work?
Photorespiration wastes energy and decreases sugar synthesis, so when rubisco initiates this pathway, it's committing a serious molecular faux pas. In this article, we'll explore why photorespiration happens, when it's most likely to take place (hint: think hot and dry conditions), and how it actually works.
Is photorespiration good for C4 plants?
Some say that photorespiration may allow plant leaves to use up excess light energy and reduce photo-oxidative damage in a plants suffering from water stress. This water stress would not apply to C4 plants, however.
What is the role of photorespiration in nitrogen assimilation?
Answer Wiki. Some scientists say that photorespiration may aid plants in nitrogen assimilation by increasing the availability of NADH (Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide hydride), a coenzyme necessary in cellular development and the production of energy.

Is photorespiration beneficial or wasteful for plants?
Biochemical studies indicate that photorespiration consumes ATP and NADPH, the high-energy molecules made by the light reactions. Thus, photorespiration is a wasteful process because it prevents plants from using their ATP and NADPH to synthesize carbohydrates.
What is the point of photorespiration?
Photorespiration Protects from Photoinhibition. Under stress conditions, such as drought, cold, or high light, NADPH production in the light reactions of photosynthesis often exceeds the demand of the Calvin cycle for reducing power.
What is photorespiration what is its importance in photosynthesis?
Photorespiration is the chemical processes that occur within a living organism of phosphoglycolate that is produced during oxygenation catalyzed by the enzyme RubisCO and inhibits photosynthesis by interfering with CO2 fixation by RubisCO.
What is photorespiration discuss its significance in plants?
The process of photorespiration is found significant when the concept of the evolution of plants is considered. Photorespiration is most common in C3 plants or dicot plants in which the loss of CO2 reduces the photosynthetic deficiency and as a result, it leads to the evolution of the C4 plants.
What is photorespiration in biology?
Photorespiration is a wasteful pathway that competes with the Calvin cycle. It begins when rubisco acts on oxygen instead of carbon dioxide.
How does photorespiration compare to Calvin cycle?
In the diagram below, you can see a comparison between photorespiration and the normal Calvin cycle, showing how many fixed carbons are gained or lost when either or molecules are captured by rubisco. Photorespiration results in a loss of fixed carbon atoms under these conditions, while the Calvin cycle results in a gain of fixed carbon atoms.
How many phosphoglycolate molecules are in a 3-PGA?
In the photorespiration pathway, 6 O2 molecules combine with 6 RuBP acceptors, making 6 3-PGA molecules and 6 phosphoglycolate molecules. The 6 phosphoglycolate molecules enter a salvage pathway, which converts them into 3 3-PGA molecules and releases 3 carbons as CO2. This makes for a total of 9 3-PGA molecules.
How many phosphoglycolate molecules are in the photorespiration pathway?
In the photorespiration pathway, 6 O2 molecules combine with 6 RuBP acceptors, making 6 3-PGA molecules and 6 phosphoglycolate molecules. The 6 phosphoglycolate molecules enter a salvage pathway, which converts them into 3 3-PGA molecules and releases 3 carbons as CO2. This makes for a total of 9 3-PGA molecules. These can be converted into 9 G3P sugars. This is not enough for any to exit the cycle as glucose. In fact, it is not even enough to regenerate the 6 RuBP acceptors. Instead, only 5 RuBP acceptors can be regenerated, with 2 leftover carbon atoms. The 3 carbons released as CO2 have been "stolen" from the cycle.
What is the name of the compound that Rubisco adds to the Calvin cycle?
Rubisco adds whichever molecule it binds to a five-carbon compound called ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP). The reaction that uses is the first step of the Calvin cycle and leads to the production of sugar. The reaction that uses is the first step of the photorespiration pathway, which wastes energy and "undoes" the work of the Calvin cycle.
How many carbon atoms can be regenerated from a rubp?
Instead, only 5 RuBP acceptors can be regenerated, with 2 leftover carbon atoms. The 3 carbons released as CO2 have been "stolen" from the cycle. Photorespiration is definitely not a win from a carbon fixation standpoint. However, it may have other benefits for plants.
What is the role of rubisco in photosynthesis?
RuBP oxygenase-carboxylase ( rubisco ), a key enzyme in photosynthesis, is the molecular equivalent of a good friend with a bad habit. In the process of carbon fixation, rubisco incorporates carbon dioxide () into an organic molecule during the first stage of the Calvin cycle. Rubisco is so important to plants that it makes up or more of the soluble protein in a typical plant leaf. But rubisco also has a major flaw: instead of always using as a substrate, it sometimes picks up instead.
What is the role of photorespiration in photosynthesis?
Through H2O2 production and pyrimidine nucleotide interactions, photorespiration makes a key contribution to cellular redox homeostasis. In so doing, it influences multiple signalling pathways, in particular, those that govern plant hormonal responses controlling growth, environmental and defense responses, and programmed cell death. [18]
Why are plants good for insects?
Supporting unwanted insects - In general, plants support insects, and this is usually a good thing because insects are a key element in the food web, supporting birds, frogs, and all sorts of other animals .
How can new improved crops be produced within a short time period?
By the help of tissue through protoplast fusion, cell fusion, genetic engineering and hybridization technique , new improved varieties of crops can be produced within a short time period.
Why are trees so big?
Being too big for the site and requiring costly pruning - Every tree naturally has a maximum size, which depends not only on the species but also conditions (trees usually grow bigger on richer sites where they have more water and/or more nutrient-rich soil.) If you plant a tree that is too big for the site, i.e. it is growing too near a home, power lines, or some other hazard, you will need to repeatedly prune it. This can be costly, and there can be hazards if you don’t do it (limbs falling on a power line, causing fires and/or power outages, ants or other pests coming into a home if a tree grows to touch a home.) And if the root system is too big, it can heave sidewalks or pavement, which can be costly to fix and sometimes can be difficult or impossible to fix without injuring the tree.
How can weakening plant populations affect genetic diversity?
Weakening plant populations’ genetic diversity by planting cloned plants or plants from populations not suited to the local conditions - Plants have complex population genetics just like any other organisms. Many plants have vast native ranges, stretching across whole continents, and there can be considerable genetic difference in the populations in different regions.
Does nitrite transport into chloroplasts?
has been shown to suppress nitrite transport into chloroplasts. [13] However, in an agricultural setting, replacing the native photorespiration pathway with an engineered synthetic pathway to metabolize glycolate in the chloroplast resulted in a 40 percent increase in crop growth. [14] [15] [16]
Does photorespiration increase growth?
Reducing photorespiration may not result in increased growth rates for plants. Photorespiration may be necessary for the assimilation of nitrate from soil. Thus, a reduction in photorespiration by genetic engineering or because of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (due to fossil fuel burning) may not benefit plants as has been proposed. [12] Several physiological processes may be responsible for linking photorespiration and nitrogen assimilation. Photorespiration increases availability of NADH, which is required for the conversion of nitrate to nitrite. Certain nitrite transporters also transport bicarbonate, and elevated CO2
How did B photosynthesis affect the atmosphere?
B Photosynthesis drastically increased the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere.
What is the function of ATP in plants?
A Plant cells harness the ATP produced during photosynthesis to split water.
Why are C electrons supplied to chlorophyll P680?
C Electrons are supplied to chlorophyll P680 as it reduces the primary electron acceptor.
How long ago did photosynthesis start?
Current evidence indicates that the process of photosynthesis arose more than three billion years ago. Its origin had a huge impact on existing organisms and on the physical characteristics of the biosphere. Which major physical change could be attributed to photosynthesis?
Does increased biomass decrease oxygen levels?
A The increased biomass will lead to decreased levels of atmospheric oxygen through respiration.
How would increased biomass lead to decreased solar heating?
1) The increased biomass would lead to decreased solar heating due to absorption of light by photosystems I and II.
How long ago did photosynthesis start?
Current evidence indicates that the process of photosynthesis arose more than three billion years ago. Its origin had a huge impact on existing organisms and on the physical characteristics of the biosphere. Which major physical change could be attributed to photosynthesis?
