BESC - Genes for Enhancing Drought and Heat Tolerance in Plants, and Methods of Use

The invention provides a novel enzyme for CO2 fixation in the crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) pathway. This enzyme has no need for activation. It will facilitate the engineering of CAM into non-CAM plants to enhance water use efficiency and drought tolerance. Other genes encodes proteins. These protein genes show convent change in transcript expression in two CAM species, with higher transcript abundance during morning or noon time. Temporal controlled expression of these genes during the morning or noon time in plants will increase heat tolerance in plants and also facilitate the engineering of CAM into non-CAM plants to enhance water use efficiency and drought tolerance.