Which of the following statements about RuBisCO is true?
- It is an enzyme involved in the photolysis of water
- It catalyzes the carboxylation of RuBP
- It is active only in the dark
- It has higher affinity for oxygen than carbon dioxide
Answer
(2) It catalyzes the carboxylation of RuBP
Solution
RuBisCO (RuBP carboxylase-oxygenase) catalyses the carboxylation of RuBP: RuBP + CO2 2 PGA, the first step of the Calvin cycle.
It does not split water, it is not active only in the dark, and it has a much higher affinity for CO2 than for O2.
Answer: (2)