Mutagenesis in vitro of the gene encoding the large subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/ oxygenase (EC 4.1.1.39) from Anacystis nidulansSynechococcus PCC 6301) was used to generate novel enzymes in Escherichia coli. Residues in C-terminal loop 6 of the β/α barrel structure of the large subunit were changed. Replacement of valine 331 with alanine caused a 90% reduction in V_max but did not alter the enzyme's relative specificity towards either of its gaseous substrates, CO₂ and O₂. However replacement of alanine 340 with glutamate decreased the enzyme's specificity for CO₂ but had no significant effect on either the K_m for ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate or CO₂ or on V_max. In contrast replacing a small cassette of residues 338-341 produced a small increase in the specificity factor.