An adapted form of photosynthesis where CO2 is first fixed into a 4-carbon compound before being concentrated around RuBisCO. This pathway reduces photorespiration and increases efficiency in hot, dry conditions.
Named for the first stable product - a 4-carbon molecule like malate or aspartate. Discovered in the 1960s by Australian scientists studying sugarcane, this pathway was initially called the Hatch-Slack pathway after its discoverers.
C4 photosynthesis is like having a CO2 delivery service for RuBisCO - specialized cells capture CO2 and concentrate it around the enzyme, making photosynthesis much more efficient in hot weather! This is why tropical grasses like corn and sugarcane can thrive in blazing heat.
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