Which anatomical feature of bundle sheath cells in C4 plant leaves (Kranz anatomy) prevents atmospheric oxygen from reaching RuBisCO?

Answer and explanation

Correct answer: B. Thick cell walls impervious to gaseous exchange and lack of intercellular spaces

  1. Step 1: C4 leaves exhibit Kranz anatomy, where vascular bundles are surrounded by concentric layers of large bundle sheath cells.
  2. Step 2: Bundle sheath cells possess thick, suberized cell walls that are highly impermeable to gases ( and ) and have no intercellular spaces.
  3. Step 3: Their chloroplasts are often agranal (lacking grana and PS II), preventing local photosynthetic generation and keeping RuBisCO in an -poor environment.
Answer
Thick cell walls impervious to gaseous exchange and lack of intercellular spaces
Why not the others: 'Abundant stomata opening directly...' is false because stomata open into mesophyll intercellular spaces, never directly into bundle sheath layers; 'Thin, porous cell walls...' would allow oxygen diffusion, promoting photorespiration; 'Presence of grana-rich chloroplasts...' is incorrect because grana-rich chloroplasts perform photolysis of water which produces , defeating the purpose of Kranz anatomy.

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