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Louise Weston Plant metabolism Is photorespiration an effective mechanism for protecting against photoinhibition? CO2 and O2 are competitive substrates for the enzyme Rubisco (Ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase). Photorespiration is the process where by the enzyme Rubisco fixes molecular oxygen as apposed to carbon, which ultimately leads to the evolution of CO2 from plants. The process occurs concurrently with photosynthesis in green leaves of C3 plants. A high CO2 and low O2 atmospheric concentration favours the carboxylase action, whereas a high O2 and low CO2 concentration favours the oxygenase action. Therefore due to the existence of photorespiration, photosynthesis is inhibited by oxygen. When the release of CO2 by photorespiration equals CO2 fixation by photosynthesis, a concentration of CO2 is reached called the CO2 compensation point. When the light is extinguished, continued CO2 production from photorespiration results in a post illumination burst (PIB). The enzymic pathways for CO2 production from oxygen fixation are known as the...

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