Plant Gene and Trait 2025, Vol.16, No.3, 92-103 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/pgt 92 Review Article Open Access Genetic Regulation of Photosynthetic Efficiency in Sugarcane: Molecular Basis ofC4 Pathway and Carbon Metabolism Weichang Wu 1, ZhenLi 2 1 Biotechnology Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China 2 Hainan Institute of Biotechnology, Haikou, 570206, Hainan, China Corresponding email: zhen.li@hibio.org Plant Gene and Trait, 2025, Vol.16, No.3 doi: 10.5376/pgt.2025.16.0011 Received: 03 Apr., 2025 Accepted: 10 May, 2025 Published: 19 May, 2025 Copyright © 2025 Wu and Li, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Wu W.C., and Li Z., 2025, Genetic regulation of photosynthetic efficiency in sugarcane: molecular basis of C4 pathway and carbon metabolism, Plant Gene and Trait, 16(3): 92-103 (doi: 10.5376/pgt.2025.16.0011) Abstract Photosynthetic efficiency is a crucial determinant of sugarcane yield and biomass accumulation, particularly in tropical environments where sugarcane, a C4 plant, thrives due to its high carbon assimilation capacity. This study investigates the genetic regulation of photosynthetic efficiency in sugarcane, focusing on the molecular mechanisms underlying the C4 pathway and carbon metabolism. We provide a comprehensive overview of C4 photosynthesis, emphasizing Kranz anatomy and CO2-concentrating mechanisms, and examine the genetic regulation of key enzymes such as PEPC, NADP-ME, and PPDK. The study explores transcriptional and post-transcriptional control, including the role of epigenetic factors and non-coding RNAs, alongside genetic components involved in Rubisco regulation, sugar transport, and carbon partitioning. Furthermore, we analyze the integration of light reactions with carbon metabolism and identify regulatory genes for chlorophyll biosynthesis and photoprotection. Advances in biotechnological tools such as CRISPR/Cas9 and omics-based gene discovery are discussed in this study of improving photosynthetic traits. We also present a case study on elite sugarcane varieties, highlighting the association between gene expression and photosynthetic performance under field conditions. Our findings underscore the need for integrative genetic models and systems biology approaches to optimize photosynthetic efficiency and promote sustainable sugarcane production through targeted genetic innovation. Keywords Sugarcane; C4 photosynthesis; Genetic regulation; Carbon metabolism; Photosynthetic efficiency 1 Introduction Sugarcane is one of the most common cash crops in the fields of many tropical regions, not only because of its high sugar yield, but also because of another factor that is less likely to be overlooked - its photosynthetic efficiency is quite good. People pay attention to it not only because of the demand for sugar, but also because its potential in bioenergy is being magnified year by year. In fact, the photosynthetic efficiency of sugarcane is directly related to how high it can grow, how thick the stem can grow, and how much sugar it accumulates. In this regard, the difference between different varieties is quite obvious. Some genotypes can always lead in both yield and quality no matter how the environment changes. Therefore, when breeding, we have to consider the issue of “high photosynthetic efficiency”. After all, with the growing demand today, being able to grow more crops with higher yields is likely to solve the dual pressures of food and energy we face (Zafar et al., 2022; Hua et al., 2024; Wei et al., 2024). When it comes to the photosynthetic mode of sugarcane, it uses the C4 pathway like corn and sorghum. This mechanism is particularly popular under tropical conditions of high temperature and high light. Compared with common C3 crops, C4 has higher photosynthetic efficiency and resource utilization. But don’t expect it to be too idealistic - in reality, when there are problems such as light fluctuations and plants blocking each other, its mechanism will also be affected, such as metabolic interruption, reduced efficiency, etc. Therefore, to truly understand the regulatory logic behind sugarcane photosynthesis, it is not enough to just know that it is C4, but also to figure out how its internal decarboxylation mechanism is regulated, and even the slightest adjustment of the cell structure may affect the whole body (Sales et al., 2017; Wang et al., 2021; Sales et al., 2023; Wang, 2024).
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