Nigeria, Sept. 20 -- The name Rubisco sounds almost like an alias for a gregarious and popular college kid who seems to be present in every social circle. For good reason, Rubisco is ubiquitous all right, because it is often described as the most abundant protein on Earth. However, most people will live their entire lives without hearing the word Rubisco, even though much of the food that sustains human life depends, directly or indirectly, on what this enzyme does. You will not find the name on nutrition labels or hear it when carbohydrates, fats and proteins are discussed.

Before bread, rice, maize, fruit, vegetables, cooking oils, meat, milk or eggs, carbon had to enter the living world in a form that organisms could use to build bio...