The Warburg-effects: basic metabolic processes with reference to cancer development and global photosynthesis.

One century ago (1920), Otto Warburg (1883-1970) discovered that in liquid cultures of unicellular green algae ( sp.) molecular oxygen (O) exerts an inhibitory effect on photosynthesis. Decades later, O dependent suppression of photosynthetic carbon dioxide (CO) assimilation (the "green" Warbur geffect) was confirmed on the leaves of seed plants. Here, we summarize the history of this discovery and elucidate the consequences of the photorespiratory pathway in land plants with reference to unpublished CO exchange data measured on the leaves of sunflower () plants. In addition, we discuss the inefficiency of the key enzyme Rubisco and analyze data concerning the productivity of C3 vs. C4 crop species (sunflower vs. maize, ). Warburg's discovery inaugurated a research agenda in the biochemistry of photosynthetic CO assimilation that continues to the present. In addition, we briefly discuss Warburg's model of metabolic processes in cancer, net primary production (global photosynthesis) with respect to climate change, trees and other land plants as CO removers, and potential climate mitigators in the Anthropocene.