Studies of the rubisco oxygenase reaction using mn2+-dependent luminescence

The plant carbon-fixing enzyme, ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (rubisco) catalyses the reaction of CO2 with ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP). The overall reaction occurs as a sequence of events involving multiple transition states, providing opportunities for alternative reactions to occur. The most significant being the oxygenation of the RuBP-derived enediol. This side-reaction competes directly with carboxylation and reduces the efficiency of carbon fixation. The Mn2+-activated rubisco oxygenase reaction generates chemiluminescence which provides a new approach for investigating rubisco oxygenation.