The sequences classified as genes for various ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO)-like proteins (RLPs) are widely distributed among bacteria, archaea, and eukaryota. In the phylogenic tree constructed with these sequences, RuBisCOs and RLPs are grouped into four separate clades, forms I-IV. In RuBisCO enzymes encoded by form I, II, and III sequences, 19 conserved amino acid residues are essential for CO 2 fixation; however, 1-11 of these 19 residues are substituted with other amino acids in form IV RLPs. Among form IV RLPs, the only enzymatic activity detected to date is a 2,3-diketo-5-methylthiopentyl 1-phosphate (DK-MTP-1-P) enolase reaction catalyzed by Bacillus subtilis, Microcystis aeruginosa, and Geobacillus kaustophilus form IV RLPs. RLPs from Rhodospirillum rubrum, Rhodopseudomonas palustris, Chlorobium tepidum, and Bordetella bronchiseptica were inactive in the enolase reaction. DK-MTP-1-P enolase activity of B. subtilis RLP required Mg 2؉ for catalysis and, like RuBisCO, was stimulated by CO 2 . Four residues that are essential for the enolization reaction of RuBisCO, Lys 175 , Lys 201 , Asp 203 , and Glu 204 , were conserved in RLPs and were essential for DK-MTP-1-P enolase catalysis. Lys 123 , the residue conserved in DK-MTP-1-P enolases, was also essential for B. subtilis RLP enolase activity. Similarities between the active site structures of RuBisCO and B. subtilis RLP were examined by analyzing the effects of structural analogs of RuBP on DK-MTP-1-P enolase activity. A transition state analog for the RuBP carboxylation of RuBisCO was a competitive inhibitor in the DK-MTP-1-P enolase reaction with a K i value of 103 M. RuBP and D-phosphoglyceric acid, the substrate and product, respectively, of RuBisCO, were weaker competitive inhibitors. These results suggest that the amino acid residues utilized in the B. subtilis RLP enolase reaction are the same as those utilized in the RuBisCO RuBP enolization reaction.Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) 4 catalyzes the carboxylation and oxygenation reactions of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) in photosynthesis (1-4). This enzyme is the sole CO 2 -fixing enzyme in plants; however, it has certain inefficiencies. It has a very low turnover rate, a low affinity for the substrate, CO 2 , and low specificity between the carboxylation and oxygenation reactions (5-7). Thus, the intrinsic enzymatic properties of RuBisCO are inadequate for efficient incorporation of CO 2 into organic matter in photosynthesis (7). However, plants have overcome these disadvantages by investing a huge amount of leaf nitrogen in RuBisCO synthesis (8).In nature, there are wide variations in the properties and primary sequences of RuBisCO among different photosynthetic organisms (9 -12). The primary sequences vary as much as 73% without loss of activity. The relative specificity ranges from ϳ0.5 in a small subunitless RuBisCO to 238 in a red algal, hexadecameric RuBisCO (13,14). The affinity for CO 2 varies some 100-fold (15). Comparisons ...