how have C4 plants reduced the effects of photorespiration?

Question

anonymous · Answer

thx guise i appreciate it

anonymous · Answer

no really its okay i don't need help or anything

anonymous · Answer

i got this DON'T ANY OF YOU WORRY

anonymous · Answer

its not like this is for a grade or anything

anonymous · Answer

silly me

trancenova · Answer

Heh, sorry about that - help isn't all that instant in the slower subjects (if you need quick help in the future try asking in math chat - nicely - and with a link).

Anyway C4 plants are really sneaky!

So in plants if there is lots of oxygen floating about they poor old RUBISCO will start the process to convert oxygen into CO2 - releasing energy.

Now if the sun is shining you really don't want this to happen because you want your RUBISCO to help convert CO2 into oxygen and energy. RUBISCO will only do this (help convert CO2 to oxygen + energy (photosynthesis)) if there is a high concentration of CO2 in the cell. 

So tell me this, what would you do with RUBISCO, the O2 and the CO2 if you wanted photosynthesis to occur not photorespiration?

anonymous · Answer

the peculiar type of leaf anatomy (kranz anatomy) helping C4 plants to do the same (as said by TranceNova). In simple terms this compartmentalization actually separating RUBISCO and Oxygen from photo-respiration reactions.