IMOG 2023

Photosynthesis is among the most important evolutionary innovations in Earth history. It has formed the foundation for most life on Earth today, oxygenated our planet, revolutionised the carbon cycle, and enabled aerobic respiration that eventually led to the evolution of large complex organisms. The most widespread oxygenic photosynthesis pathway involves fixing carbon through the enzyme Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (RuBisCO) that converts CO2 into sucrose via the Calvin-Benson cycle. During this process, RuBisCO preferentially uptakes ¹²CO2 over ¹³CO2, resulting in stable carbon isotopic fractionation of up to 25–28 ‰.