The Warburg-effects: basic metabolic processes with reference to cancerdevelopment and global photosynthesis

摘要

One century ago (1920), Otto Warburg (1883–1970) discovered that in liquid cultures of unicellular greenalgae (Chlorella sp.) molecular oxygen (O2) exerts an inhibitory effect on photosynthesis. Decades later, O2dependent suppression of photosynthetic carbon dioxide (CO2) assimilation (the “green” Warbur geffect)was confirmed on the leaves of seed plants. Here, we summarize the history of this discovery andelucidate the consequences of the photorespiratory pathway in land plants with reference to unpublishedCO2 exchange data measured on the leaves of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) plants. In addition, wediscuss the inefficiency of the key enzyme Rubisco and analyze data concerning the productivity of C3 vs.C4 crop species (sunflower vs. maize, Zea mays). Warburg’s discovery inaugurated a research agenda inthe biochemistry of photosynthetic CO2 assimilation that continues to the present. In addition, we brieflydiscuss Warburg’s model of metabolic processes in cancer, net primary production (global photosynthesis) with respect to climate change, trees and other land plants as CO2 removers, and potential climatemitigators in the Anthropocene.