Photosynthetic capacity enhancement (PCE)

Photosynthetic capacity enhancement is a physiological and biotechnological objective focused on increasing the rate and efficiency of carbon dioxide fixation and solar energy conversion in plants (Wikipedia, 2024). It is not a single molecular target but rather a coordinated trait achieved by optimizing the activity of multiple enzymes and pathways, such as Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) and Sedoheptulose-1,7-bisphosphatase (SBPase) (Long et al., 2015; Raines, 2011). The primary biological functions involve improving the Calvin-Benson cycle, optimizing electron transport through complexes like Cytochrome b6f, and reducing energy losses from photorespiration (PMC, 2022). While this concept is not a therapeutic target for human disease, it is critical in the field of agricultural biotechnology for addressing global food security, malnutrition, and climate change through enhanced crop yields and carbon sequestration (ScienceDaily, 2020). There are no clinical drugs targeting this process in humans; however, research-level agricultural applications utilize genetic modifications and plant growth regulators to achieve these efficiency gains (Simkin et al., 2019). Monitoring the effectiveness of such enhancements typically involves physiological metrics such as the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II and net carbon assimilation rates (Frontiers in Plant Science, 2022).

Other names

Increased photosynthetic efficiencyPhotosynthetic optimizationCarbon assimilation enhancementEngineering crop photosynthesisPhotosynthetic performance enhancement

Upregulation of Calvin cycle enzymes, optimization of photosynthetic electron transport, reduction of photorespiratory loss, and engineering of carbon-concentrating mechanisms