Answer to Question #227951 in Cell Biology for april

Question

1) Do enzymes work alone...?

2) Does the Rubisco enzyme work alone in vitro...?

Answer 1

1.Many enzymes do not work optimally, or even at all, unless bound to other specific non-protein helper molecules.

2.Chloroplasts are filled with rubisco, which comprises half of the protein. This makes rubisco the most plentiful single enzyme on the Earth. Rubisco also shows an embarrassing lack of specificity. Unfortunately, oxygen molecules and carbon dioxide molecules are similar in shape and chemical properties.