Mutations in the CLAVATA signaling pathway result in increased photosynthetic efficiency in Arabidopsis thaliana

Stem cell mutations in Arabidopsis thaliana result in enlarged meristems and overproliferated floral production. Previous research has indicated that deregulated biosynthesis pathways can<br />result in increased CO2 assimilation, but this has not yet been tested in plants with deregulated stem cell production. After generating a novel CLAVATA knock-out mutant that displayed severe<br />stem cell de-regulation, we tested this mutant and those missing similar receptors and measured their maximum photosynthetic efficiency. We found that these mutations resulted in up to a<br />37.8% increase in carboxylation rates and a 32.4% increase in maximum electron transport rate as compared to wildtype. With more experimentation, these mutations can be harnessed to<br />enhance natural carbon capture mechanisms.