A spatial atlas of the seaweed CO2-fixation machinery reveals a unique Rubisco condensation mechanism

Barrett, J.; Degut, C.; Sebiani Calvo, A.; Hodgkinson, M.; Derry, H.; Salter, A.; Coulembier Vandelannoote, E.; Beveridge, R.; Bothwell, J.; Jacobs, T.; De Clerck, O.; Blaza, J.; Plevin, M.; Mackinder, L.; Blomme, J.

doi:10.64898/2026.07.16.738900

bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.07.16.738900

A spatial atlas of the seaweed CO2-fixation machinery reveals a unique Rubisco condensation mechanism

Barrett, J.·Degut, C.·Sebiani Calvo, A.·Hodgkinson, M.·Derry, H.·Salter, A.·Coulembier Vandelannoote, E.·Beveridge, R.·Bothwell, J.·Jacobs, T.·De Clerck, O.·Blaza, J.·Plevin, M.·Mackinder, L.·Blomme, J.

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Abstract

Seaweeds (macroalgae) are important primary producers that sustain food webs in coastal ecosystems. Most algae accelerate inorganic carbon assimilation by actively concentrating CO2 in a Rubisco-rich specialized organelle called the pyrenoid. However, the molecular composition of this pathway is unknown in seaweeds. Here, we investigated the intracellular localization of 160 proteins associated with CO2 acquisition in the green seaweed Ulva (Sea lettuce). We assign 68 proteins to different pyrenoid subdomains and identify a consensus Ulva Rubisco binding motif revealing the molecular logic of the Ulva pyrenoid. We reveal Seaweed Ulva Pyrenoid Assembly 1 (SUPA1) as the core pyrenoid assembly factor. We show that Rubisco condensation is driven by a unique mechanism: the helical folding of SUPA1 motifs upon Rubisco binding, combined with steric hindrance that halves the available Rubisco binding sites from eight to four. Our data gives an unprecedented sub-cellular spatial understanding on seaweed carbon fixation and provides insights into the evolution of this important pathway in the global carbon cycle.

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Barrett, J., Degut, C., Sebiani Calvo, A., Hodgkinson, M., Derry, H., Salter, A., Coulembier Vandelannoote, E., Beveridge, R., Bothwell, J., Jacobs, T., De Clerck, O., Blaza, J., Plevin, M., Mackinder, L., Blomme, J.. 2026-07-16. A spatial atlas of the seaweed CO2-fixation machinery reveals a unique Rubisco condensation mechanism. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.16.738900

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