Ploidy Effects in Isogenic Populations of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) : IV. Similarity in Physical and Kinetic Properties of Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase.

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBPCase) was isolated from isogenic diploid-tetraploid and tetraploid-octoploid sets of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) leaves. Molecular weights of RuBPCase subunits were similar across ploidy levels of both isogenic sets with subunits of 52,000 and 14,000. Apparent K(m)(CO(2)) values and substrate specificity factors (V(c)K(o)/V(o)K(c)) of RuBPCase were similar across ploidy levels of both isogenic sets. These results indicate that ploidy had no effect on the kinetic properties of RuBPCase in alfalfa.