Rubisco (ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase)
Definition
Rubisco is an enzyme involved in the first major step of carbon fixation; it catalyzes the conversion of carbon dioxide and ribulose bisphosphate into an unstable 6-carbon intermediate that immediately splits into two molecules of 3-phosphoglycerate.
Analogy
Rubisco is like a chef in a restaurant (the stroma). It takes simple ingredients (carbon dioxide and ribulose bisphosphate) and combines them to create something new (3-phosphoglycerate), which will be used in the next step of the recipe for making glucose.
Related terms
Carbon Fixation: The process by which photosynthetic organisms such as plants turn inorganic carbon dioxide into organic compounds.
Photosynthesis: The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the aid of chlorophyll pigments.
Enzyme: A substance produced by a living organism that acts as a catalyst to bring about a specific biochemical reaction.
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