Size matters for single-cell C4 photosynthesis in Bienertia.

ABSTRACT: Bienertia cycloptera belongs to a diverse set of plants, recently discovered to perform C₄ photosynthesis within individual mesophyll cells. How these plants accomplish high photosynthetic efficiency without adopting Kranz anatomy remains unanswered. By modelling the processes of diffusion, capture, and release of carbon dioxide and oxygen inside a typical Bienertia mesophyll cell geometry, we show that a spatial separation as low as 10 μm between the primary and the secondary carboxylases, can, on its own, provide enough diffusive resistance to sustain a viable C₄ pathway at 20 °C, with a CO₂ leakage <35%. This critical separation corresponds to a cell diameter of 50 μm, consistent with the observed range where Bienertia's mesophyll cells start to develop

SUBMITTER: Juric I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5853773 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature