Number of RuBisCO molecules (monomers) in carboxysome (estimate)

Value 38400 RuBisCo molecules/carboxysome
Organism Cyanobacteria Anabaena
Reference Reinholld, Kosloffr, and Kaplan, 1991. A model for inorganic carbon fluxes and photosynthesis in cyanobacterial carboxysomes. Can. J. Bot. 69: pp. 985
Method electron micrograph of the Anabaena cell indicated a radius of about 200 nm for the carboxysome. Making appropriate allowance for the fact that small spheres closely packed into a larger sphere only occupy about 60% of the volume, researchers estimate that the carboxysome could contain (200^3 x 0.6)/5^3 =38400 molecules of RuBisCo. Assuming RuBisCo molecule to be spherical and taking radius of 5 nm (see BNID 102650)
Comments This is an estimate based on calculation. See BNID 101678 for an experimetal value
Entered by Uri M
ID 102651