BIOLOGY 199

DATE OF SEMINAR: MARCH 3, 2016

SPEAKER: Ma. Allana June C. Mia

TITLE: Physiological and Biochemical Characterization of Maize Pyruvate Orthophosphate

Dikinase Coding Sequences in Transgenic Rice
SIGNIFICANCE:
By 2050, global population is expected to increase to approximately 9.7 billion. In order to
sustain the needs of the growing population, yield of the major crops has to be significantly
increased as well. However, with the decrease of agricultural lands, it is the efficiency of
photosynthesis that has to be improved. Different researchers are looking for ways to improve
the photosynthetic performance of major crops. One strategy being adopted is the efforts of
converting rice, classified as a C3 plant, into C4 rice.
OBJECTIVES:
Explain why there is a need for C4 Rice
Discuss the functions of pyruvate orthophosphate Dikinase and relate it to the conversion
of rice from C3 to C4
Explain the biochemical and physiological effects of inserting the coding sequences of
PPDK from Maize into Rice
DISCUSSION.
Pyruvate Orthophosphate Dikinase, a key enzyme in C4 plants, is responsible for the
regeneration of the primary carbon dioxide acceptor phosphoenolpyruvate.
There are several studies that characterized the effects of inserting the intact PPDK gene in a
C3 plant. This study, however, focuses on the effects of inserting only the coding sequences of
the PPDK gene from Maize into Rice.
Bibliography

Gowik, U., & Westhoff, P. (2011). The Path from C3 to C4 Photosynthesis. American Society of Plant
Biologists, 56-63.
Karki, S., Rizal, G., & Quick, W. (2013). Improvement of photosynthesis in rice by inserting the C4
pathway. Springer.
Wang, J., & Li, R. (2008). Integration of C4-specific ppdk gene of Echniochloa to C3 upland rice ad its
photosyntheis characteristics analysis. African Journal of Biotechnology, 783-787.
World Population Expected to Reach 9.7 Billion by 2050. (2015, July 31). Retrieved from National
Geographic: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/07/world-population-expected-toreach-9-7-billion-by-2050/
Zhang, J., Bandyopadhay, A., Sellapan, K., Wang, G., Xie, H., Datta, K., & Datta, S. (2010).
Characterization of a C4 maize pyruvate orthosphate dikinase expressed in C3 transgenic rice
plants. African Journal of Biotechnology, 234-242.