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Santra S, Manna RN, Chakrabarty S, Ghosh D. Conformational Effects on the Absorption Spectra of Phytochromes. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:3614-3620. [PMID: 38581077 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c00859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Bacteriophytochrome is a photoreceptor protein that contains the biliverdin (BV) chromophore as its active component. The spectra of BV upon mutation remain remarkably unchanged, as far as spectral positions are concerned. This points toward the minimal effect of electrostatic effects on the electronic structure of the chromophore. However, the relative intensities of the Q and Soret bands of the chromophore change dramatically upon mutation. In this work, we delve into the molecular origin of this unusual intensity modulation. Using extensive classical MD and QM/MM calculations, we show that due to mutation, the conformational population of the chromophore changes significantly. The noncovalent interactions, especially the stacking interactions, lead to extra stabilization of the cyclic form in the D207H mutated species as opposed to the open form in the wild-type BV. Thus, unlike the commonly observed direct electrostatic effect on the spectral shift, in the case of BV the difference observed is in varying intensities, and this in turn is driven by a conformational shift due to enhanced stacking interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Supriyo Santra
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Rabindra Nath Manna
- Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700106, India
| | - Suman Chakrabarty
- Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700106, India
| | - Debashree Ghosh
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
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2
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Huber C, Strack M, Schultheiß I, Pielage J, Mechler X, Hornbogen J, Diller R, Frankenberg-Dinkel N. Darkness inhibits autokinase activity of bacterial bathy phytochromes. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107148. [PMID: 38462162 PMCID: PMC11021371 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Bathy phytochromes are a subclass of bacterial biliprotein photoreceptors that carry a biliverdin IXα chromophore. In contrast to prototypical phytochromes that adopt a red-light-absorbing Pr ground state, the far-red light-absorbing Pfr-form is the thermally stable ground state of bathy phytochromes. Although the photobiology of bacterial phytochromes has been extensively studied since their discovery in the late 1990s, our understanding of the signal transduction process to the connected transmitter domains, which are often histidine kinases, remains insufficient. Initiated by the analysis of the bathy phytochrome PaBphP from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, we performed a systematic analysis of five different bathy phytochromes with the aim to derive a general statement on the correlation of photostate and autokinase output. While all proteins adopt different Pr/Pfr-fractions in response to red, blue, and far-red light, only darkness leads to a pure or highly enriched Pfr-form, directly correlated with the lowest level of autokinase activity. Using this information, we developed a method to quantitatively correlate the autokinase activity of phytochrome samples with well-defined stationary Pr/Pfr-fractions. We demonstrate that the off-state of the phytochromes is the Pfr-form and that different Pr/Pfr-fractions enable the organisms to fine-tune their kinase output in response to a certain light environment. Furthermore, the output response is regulated by the rate of dark reversion, which differs significantly from 5 s to 50 min half-life. Overall, our study indicates that bathy phytochromes function as sensors of light and darkness, rather than red and far-red light, as originally postulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Huber
- Department of Microbiology, Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Merle Strack
- Department of Physics, Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Isabel Schultheiß
- Department of Microbiology, Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Julia Pielage
- Department of Microbiology, Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Xenia Mechler
- Department of Physics, Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Justin Hornbogen
- Department of Physics, Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Rolf Diller
- Department of Physics, Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Nicole Frankenberg-Dinkel
- Department of Microbiology, Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau, Kaiserslautern, Germany.
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3
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Shenkutie SM, Nagano S, Hughes J. Expression, purification and crystallization of the photosensory module of phytochrome B (phyB) from Sorghum bicolor. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2024; 80:59-66. [PMID: 38376821 PMCID: PMC10910535 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x24000827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Sorghum, a short-day tropical plant, has been adapted for temperate grain production, in particular through the selection of variants at the MATURITY loci (Ma1-Ma6) that reduce photoperiod sensitivity. Ma3 encodes phytochrome B (phyB), a red/far-red photochromic biliprotein photoreceptor. The multi-domain gene product, comprising 1178 amino acids, autocatalytically binds the phytochromobilin chromophore to form the photoactive holophytochrome (Sb.phyB). This study describes the development of an efficient heterologous overproduction system which allows the production of large quantities of various holoprotein constructs, along with purification and crystallization procedures. Crystals of the Pr (red-light-absorbing) forms of NPGP, PGP and PG (residues 1-655, 114-655 and 114-458, respectively), each C-terminally tagged with His6, were successfully produced. While NPGP crystals did not diffract, those of PGP and PG diffracted to 6 and 2.1 Å resolution, respectively. Moving the tag to the N-terminus and replacing phytochromobilin with phycocyanobilin as the ligand produced PG crystals that diffracted to 1.8 Å resolution. These results demonstrate that the diffraction quality of challenging protein crystals can be improved by removing flexible regions, shifting fusion tags and altering small-molecule ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sintayehu Manaye Shenkutie
- Department of Plant Physiology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Senckenbergstrasse 3, 35390 Giessen, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Hawassa University, PO Box 05, Hawassa, Ethiopia
| | - Soshichiro Nagano
- Department of Plant Physiology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Senckenbergstrasse 3, 35390 Giessen, Germany
| | - Jon Hughes
- Department of Plant Physiology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Senckenbergstrasse 3, 35390 Giessen, Germany
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Xu Q, Vogt A, Frechen F, Yi C, Küçükerden M, Ngum N, Sitjà-Roqueta L, Greiner A, Parri R, Masana M, Wenger N, Wachten D, Möglich A. Engineering Bacteriophytochrome-coupled Photoactivated Adenylyl Cyclases for Enhanced Optogenetic cAMP Modulation. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168257. [PMID: 37657609 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
Sensory photoreceptors abound in nature and enable organisms to adapt behavior, development, and physiology to environmental light. In optogenetics, photoreceptors allow spatiotemporally precise, reversible, and non-invasive control by light of cellular processes. Notwithstanding the development of numerous optogenetic circuits, an unmet demand exists for efficient systems sensitive to red light, given its superior penetration of biological tissue. Bacteriophytochrome photoreceptors sense the ratio of red and far-red light to regulate the activity of enzymatic effector modules. The recombination of bacteriophytochrome photosensor modules with cyclase effectors underlies photoactivated adenylyl cyclases (PAC) that catalyze the synthesis of the ubiquitous second messenger 3', 5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). Via homologous exchanges of the photosensor unit, we devised novel PACs, with the variant DmPAC exhibiting 40-fold activation of cyclase activity under red light, thus surpassing previous red-light-responsive PACs. Modifications of the PHY tongue modulated the responses to red and far-red light. Exchanges of the cyclase effector offer an avenue to further enhancing PACs but require optimization of the linker to the photosensor. DmPAC and a derivative for 3', 5'-cyclic guanosine monophosphate allow the manipulation of cyclic-nucleotide-dependent processes in mammalian cells by red light. Taken together, we advance the optogenetic control of second-messenger signaling and provide insight into the signaling and design of bacteriophytochrome receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianzhao Xu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Arend Vogt
- Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, 10117 Berlin, Germany. https://twitter.com/ArendVogt
| | - Fabian Frechen
- Institute of Innate Immunity, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Chengwei Yi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Melike Küçükerden
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Spain
| | - Neville Ngum
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, United Kingdom
| | - Laia Sitjà-Roqueta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Spain
| | - Andreas Greiner
- Macromolecular Chemistry and Bavarian Polymer Institute, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth 95440, Germany
| | - Rhein Parri
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, United Kingdom
| | - Mercè Masana
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Spain. https://twitter.com/mercemasana
| | - Nikolaus Wenger
- Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Dagmar Wachten
- Institute of Innate Immunity, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany. https://twitter.com/DagmarWachten
| | - Andreas Möglich
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany; Bayreuth Center for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Universität Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany; North-Bavarian NMR Center, Universität Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany.
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5
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Do TN, Menendez D, Bizhga D, Stojković EA, Kennis JTM. Two-photon Absorption and Photoionization of a Bacterial Phytochrome. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168357. [PMID: 37944794 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Phytochromes constitute a family of photosensory proteins that are utilized by various organisms to regulate several physiological processes. Phytochromes bind a bilin pigment that switches its isomeric state upon absorption of red or far-red photons, resulting in protein conformational changes that are sensed by the organism. Previously, the ultrafast dynamics in bacterial phytochrome was resolved to atomic resolution by time-resolved serial femtosecond X-ray diffraction (TR-SFX), showing extensive changes in its molecular conformation at 1 picosecond delay time. However, the large excitation fluence of mJ/mm2 used in TR-SFX questions the validity of the observed dynamics. In this work, we present an excitation-dependent ultrafast transient absorption study to test the response of a related bacterial phytochrome to excitation fluence. We observe excitation power-dependent sub-picosecond dynamics, assigned to the population of high-lying excited state Sn through resonantly enhanced two-photon absorption, followed by rapid internal conversion to the low-lying S1 state. Inspection of the long-lived spectrum under high fluence shows that in addition to the primary intermediate Lumi-R, spectroscopic signatures of solvated electrons and ionized chromophore radicals are observed. Supported by numerical modelling, we propose that under excitation fluences of tens of μJ/mm2 and higher, bacterial phytochrome partly undergoes photoionization from the Sn state in competition with internal conversion to the S1 state in 300 fs. We suggest that the extensive structural changes of related, shorter bacterial phytochrome, lacking the PHY domain, resolved from TR-SFX may have been affected by the ionized species. We propose approaches to minimize the two-photon absorption process by tuning the excitation spectrum away from the S1 absorption or using phytochromes exhibiting minimized or shifted S1 absorption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanh Nhut Do
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - David Menendez
- Department of Biology, Northeastern Illinois University, 5500 N. St. Louis Ave., Chicago, IL 60625, USA
| | - Dorina Bizhga
- Department of Biology, Northeastern Illinois University, 5500 N. St. Louis Ave., Chicago, IL 60625, USA
| | - Emina A Stojković
- Department of Biology, Northeastern Illinois University, 5500 N. St. Louis Ave., Chicago, IL 60625, USA
| | - John T M Kennis
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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6
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Chukhutsina VU, Kennis JTM. Photosensory Receptors - Mechanisms and Effects. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168488. [PMID: 38341173 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Volha U Chukhutsina
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - John T M Kennis
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Rockwell NC, Lagarias JC. Cyanobacteriochromes from Gloeobacterales Provide New Insight into the Diversification of Cyanobacterial Photoreceptors. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168313. [PMID: 37839679 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
The phytochrome superfamily comprises three groups of photoreceptors sharing a conserved GAF (cGMP-specific phosphodiesterases, cyanobacterial adenylate cyclases, and formate hydrogen lyase transcription activator FhlA) domain that uses a covalently attached linear tetrapyrrole (bilin) chromophore to sense light. Knotted red/far-red phytochromes are widespread in both bacteria and eukaryotes, but cyanobacteria also contain knotless red/far-red phytochromes and cyanobacteriochromes (CBCRs). Unlike typical phytochromes, CBCRs require only the GAF domain for bilin binding, chromophore ligation, and full, reversible photoconversion. CBCRs can sense a wide range of wavelengths (ca. 330-750 nm) and can regulate phototaxis, second messenger metabolism, and optimization of the cyanobacterial light-harvesting apparatus. However, the origins of CBCRs are not well understood: we do not know when or why CBCRs evolved, or what selective advantages led to retention of early CBCRs in cyanobacterial genomes. In the current work, we use the increasing availability of genomes and metagenome-assembled-genomes from early-branching cyanobacteria to explore the origins of CBCRs. We reaffirm the earliest branches in CBCR evolution. We also show that early-branching cyanobacteria contain late-branching CBCRs, implicating early appearance of CBCRs during cyanobacterial evolution. Moreover, we show that early-branching CBCRs behave as integrators of light and pH, providing a potential unique function for early CBCRs that led to their retention and subsequent diversification. Our results thus provide new insight into the origins of these diverse cyanobacterial photoreceptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan C Rockwell
- 31 Briggs Hall, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, One Shields Avenue, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - J Clark Lagarias
- 31 Briggs Hall, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, One Shields Avenue, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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Blain-Hartung M, Johannes von Sass G, Plaickner J, Katz S, Tu Hoang O, Andrea Mroginski M, Esser N, Budisa N, Forest KT, Hildebrandt P. On the Role of a Conserved Tryptophan in the Chromophore Pocket of Cyanobacteriochrome. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168227. [PMID: 37544357 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
The cyanobacteriochrome Slr1393 can be photoconverted between a red (Pr) and green absorbing form (Pg). The recently determined crystal structures of both states suggest a major movement of Trp496 from a stacking interaction with ring D of the phycocyanobilin (PCB) chromophore in Pr to a position outside the chromophore pocket in Pg. Here, we investigated the role of this amino acid during photoconversion in solution using engineered protein variants in which Trp496 was substituted by natural and non-natural amino acids. These variants and the native protein were studied by various spectroscopic techniques (UV-vis absorption, fluorescence, IR, NIR and UV resonance Raman) complemented by theoretical approaches. Trp496 is shown to affect the electronic transition of PCB and to be essential for the thermal equilibrium between Pr and an intermediate state O600. However, Trp496 is not required to stabilize the tilted orientation of ring D in Pr, and does not play a role in the secondary structure changes of Slr1393 during the Pr/Pg transition. The present results confirm the re-orientation of Trp496 upon Pr → Pg conversion, but do not provide evidence of a major change in the microenvironment of this residue. Structural models indicate the penetration of water molecules into the chromophore pocket in both Pr and Pg states and thus water-Trp contacts, which can readily account for the subtle spectral changes between Pr and Pg. Thus, we conclude that reorientation of Trp496 during the Pr-to-Pg photoconversion in solution is not associated with a major change in the dielectric environment in the two states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Blain-Hartung
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Chemie, Sekr. PC 14, Straße des 17. Juni 135, D-10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Georg Johannes von Sass
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Chemie, Sekr. CL1, Müller-Breslau-Str.10, D-10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Julian Plaickner
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Festkörperphysik, Sekr. EW 6-1, Hardenbergstraße 36, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sagie Katz
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Chemie, Sekr. PC 14, Straße des 17. Juni 135, D-10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Oanh Tu Hoang
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Chemie, Sekr. PC 14, Straße des 17. Juni 135, D-10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Maria Andrea Mroginski
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Chemie, Sekr. PC 14, Straße des 17. Juni 135, D-10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Norbert Esser
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Festkörperphysik, Sekr. EW 6-1, Hardenbergstraße 36, 10623 Berlin, Germany; Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften-ISAS-e.V, Schwarzschildstraße 8, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nediljko Budisa
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Chemie, Sekr. CL1, Müller-Breslau-Str.10, D-10623 Berlin, Germany; Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, 144 Dysart Rd, 360 Parker Building, R3T 2N2 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Katrina T Forest
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Bacteriology, 1550 Linden Dr., Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Peter Hildebrandt
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Chemie, Sekr. PC 14, Straße des 17. Juni 135, D-10623 Berlin, Germany.
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9
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Suzuki T, Yoshimura M, Arai M, Narikawa R. Crucial Residue for Tuning Thermal Relaxation Kinetics in the Biliverdin-binding Cyanobacteriochrome Photoreceptor Revealed by Site-saturation Mutagenesis. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168451. [PMID: 38246412 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Cyanobacteriochromes (CBCRs) are cyanobacterial photoreceptors distantly related to the phytochromes sensing red and far-red light reversibly. Only the cGMP phosphodiesterase/Adenylate cyclase/FhlA (GAF) domain is needed for chromophore incorporation and proper photoconversion. The CBCR GAF domains covalently ligate linear tetrapyrrole chromophores and show reversible photoconversion between two light-absorbing states. In most cases, the two light-absorbing states are stable under dark conditions, but in some cases, the photoproduct state undergoes thermal relaxation back to the dark-adapted state during thermal relaxation. In this study, we examined the engineered CBCR GAF domain, AnPixJg2_BV4. AnPixJg2_BV4 covalently binds biliverdin IX-alpha (BV) and shows reversible photoconversion between a far-red-absorbing Pfr dark-adapted state and an orange-absorbing Po photoproduct state. Because the BV is an intrinsic chromophore of mammalian cells and absorbs far-red light penetrating into deep tissues, BV-binding CBCR molecules are useful for the development of optogenetic and bioimaging tools used in mammals. To obtain a better developmental platform molecule, we performed site-saturation random mutagenesis on the Phe319 position. We succeeded in obtaining variant molecules with higher chromophore-binding efficiency and higher molar extinction coefficient. Furthermore, we observed a wide variation in thermal relaxation kinetics, with an 81-fold difference between the slowest and fastest rates. Both molecules with relatively slow and fast thermal relaxation would be advantageous for optogenetic control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahisa Suzuki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami-Ohsawa, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan.
| | - Masataka Yoshimura
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Munehito Arai
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan; Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Rei Narikawa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami-Ohsawa, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan.
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10
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Jensen GC, Janis MK, Jara J, Abbasi N, Zastrow ML. Zinc-Induced Fluorescence Turn-On in Native and Mutant Phycoerythrobilin-Binding Orange Fluorescent Proteins. Biochemistry 2023; 62:2828-2840. [PMID: 37699411 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacteriochrome (CBCR)-derived fluorescent proteins are a class of reporters that can bind bilin cofactors and fluoresce across the ultraviolet to the near-infrared spectrum. Derived from phytochrome-related photoreceptor proteins in cyanobacteria, many of these proteins use a single small GAF domain to autocatalytically bind a bilin and fluoresce. The second GAF domain of All1280 (All1280g2) from Nostoc sp. PCC7120 is a DXCF motif-containing protein that exhibits blue-light-responsive photochemistry when bound to its native cofactor, phycocyanobilin. All1280g2 can also bind non-photoswitching phycoerythrobilin (PEB), resulting in a highly fluorescent protein. Given the small size, high quantum yield, and that unlike green fluorescent proteins, bilin-binding proteins can be used in anaerobic organisms, the orange fluorescent All1280g2-PEB protein is a promising platform for designing new genetically encoded metal ion sensors. Here, we show that All1280g2-PEB undergoes a ∼5-fold reversible zinc-induced fluorescence enhancement with a blue-shifted emission maximum (572 to 517 nm), which is not observed for a related PEB-bound GAF from Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 (Slr1393g3). Zn2+ significantly enhances All1280g2-PEB fluorescence across a biologically relevant pH range from 6.0 to 9.0, with pH-dependent dissociation constants from 1 μM to ∼20-80 nM. Site-directed mutants aiming to sterically decrease and increase access to PEB show a decreased and similar amount of zinc-induced fluorescence enhancement. Mutation of the cysteine residue within the DXCF motif to alanine abolishes the zinc-induced fluorescence enhancement. Collectively, these results support the presence of a unique fluorescence-enhancing Zn2+ binding site in All1280g2-PEB likely involving coordination to the bilin cofactor and requiring a nearby cysteine residue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary C Jensen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, United States
| | - Makena K Janis
- Department of Chemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, United States
| | - Jazzmin Jara
- Department of Chemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, United States
| | - Nasir Abbasi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, United States
| | - Melissa L Zastrow
- Department of Chemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, United States
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11
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Suzuki T, Yoshimura M, Hoshino H, Fushimi K, Arai M, Narikawa R. Introduction of reversible cysteine ligation ability to the biliverdin-binding cyanobacteriochrome photoreceptor. FEBS J 2023; 290:4999-5015. [PMID: 37488966 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacteriochrome (CBCR) photoreceptors are distantly related to the canonical red/far-red reversible phytochrome photoreceptors. In the case of the CBCRs, only the GAF domain is required for chromophore incorporation and photoconversion. The GAF domains of CBCR are highly diversified into many lineages to sense various colors of light. These CBCR GAF domains are divided into two types: those possessing only the canonical Cys residue and those with both canonical and second Cys residues. The canonical Cys residue stably ligates to the chromophore in both cases. The second Cys residue mostly shows reversible adduct formation with the chromophore during photoconversion for spectral tuning. In this study, we focused on the CBCR GAF domain AnPixJg2_BV4, which possesses only the canonical Cys residue. AnPixJg2_BV4 covalently ligates to the biliverdin (BV) chromophore and shows far-red/orange reversible photoconversion. Because BV is a mammalian intrinsic chromophore, BV-binding molecules are advantageous for in vivo optogenetic and bioimaging tool development. To obtain a better developmental platform molecule, we performed site-saturation random mutagenesis and serendipitously obtained a unique variant molecule that showed far-red/blue reversible photoconversion, in which the Cys residue was introduced near the chromophore. This introduced Cys residue functioned as the second Cys residue that reversibly ligated with the chromophore. Because the position of the introduced Cys residue is distinct from the known second Cys residues, the variant molecule obtained in this study would expand our knowledge about the spectral tuning mechanism of CBCRs and contribute to tool development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahisa Suzuki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan
| | - Masataka Yoshimura
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroki Hoshino
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan
| | - Keiji Fushimi
- Graduate School of Science, Technology and Innovation, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Munehito Arai
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rei Narikawa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan
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12
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Zhang Y, Lin X, Ma C, Zhao J, Shang X, Wang Z, Xu B, Gao N, Deng XW, Wang J. Structural insights into plant phytochrome A as a highly sensitized photoreceptor. Cell Res 2023; 33:806-809. [PMID: 37491602 PMCID: PMC10542756 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-023-00858-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement, Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Agriculture Sciences at Weifang, Weifang, Shandong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoli Lin
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement, Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Agriculture Sciences at Weifang, Weifang, Shandong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Chengying Ma
- Peking-Tsinghua Joint Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement, Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Agriculture Sciences at Weifang, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Xiaojin Shang
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement, Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Agriculture Sciences at Weifang, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Zhengdong Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement, Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Agriculture Sciences at Weifang, Weifang, Shandong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Joint Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Xu
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement, Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Agriculture Sciences at Weifang, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Ning Gao
- Peking-Tsinghua Joint Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xing Wang Deng
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement, Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Agriculture Sciences at Weifang, Weifang, Shandong, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
- Peking-Tsinghua Joint Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
| | - Jizong Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement, Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Agriculture Sciences at Weifang, Weifang, Shandong, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
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13
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Kurttila M, Rumfeldt J, Takala H, Ihalainen JA. The interconnecting hairpin extension "arm": An essential allosteric element of phytochrome activity. Structure 2023; 31:1100-1108.e4. [PMID: 37392739 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2023.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
In red-light sensing phytochromes, isomerization of the bilin chromophore triggers structural and dynamic changes across multiple domains, ultimately leading to control of the output module (OPM) activity. In between, a hairpin structure, "arm", extends from an interconnecting domain to the chromophore region. Here, by removing this protein segment in a bacteriophytochrome from Deinococcus radiodurans (DrBphP), we show that the arm is crucial for signal transduction. Crystallographic, spectroscopic, and biochemical data indicate that this variant maintains the properties of DrBphP in the resting state. Spectroscopic data also reveal that the armless systems maintain the ability to respond to light. However, there is no subsequent regulation of OPM activity without the arms. Thermal denaturation reveals that the arms stabilize the DrBphP structure. Our results underline the importance of the structurally flexible interconnecting hairpin extensions and describe their central role in the allosteric coupling of phytochromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moona Kurttila
- University of Jyvaskyla, Nanoscience Center, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, 40014 Jyvaskyla, Finland
| | - Jessica Rumfeldt
- University of Jyvaskyla, Nanoscience Center, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, 40014 Jyvaskyla, Finland
| | - Heikki Takala
- University of Jyvaskyla, Nanoscience Center, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, 40014 Jyvaskyla, Finland.
| | - Janne A Ihalainen
- University of Jyvaskyla, Nanoscience Center, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, 40014 Jyvaskyla, Finland.
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14
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Kumarapperuma I, Tom IP, Bandara S, Montano S, Yang X. Mode of autophosphorylation in bacteriophytochromes RpBphP2 and RpBphP3. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2023; 22:1257-1266. [PMID: 36757561 PMCID: PMC10619329 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-023-00366-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Phytochromes are red-light photoreceptors that regulate a wide range of physiological processes in plants, fungi and bacteria. Canonical bacteriophytochromes are photosensory histidine kinases that undergo light-dependent autophosphorylation, thereby regulating cellular responses to red light via two-component signaling pathways. However, the molecular mechanism of kinase activation remains elusive for bacteriophytochromes. In particular, the directionality of autophosphorylation is still an open question in these dimeric photoreceptor kinases. In this work, we perform histidine kinase assays on two tandem bacteriophytochromes RpBphP2 and RpBphP3 from the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris. By examining the kinase activities of full-length bacteriophytochromes and two loss-of-function mutants under different light conditions, we demonstrate that RpBphP2 and RpBphP3 undergo light-dependent trans-phosphorylation between protomers in both homodimeric and heterodimeric forms. We have further determined the crystal structure of the histidine kinase domains of RpBphP2 at 3.19 Å resolution. Based on structural comparisons and homology modeling, we also present a model to account for the actions of trans-autophosphorylation in bacteriophytochromes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Irin P Tom
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sepalika Bandara
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sherwin Montano
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Xiaojing Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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15
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Hoshino H, Narikawa R. Novel cyanobacteriochrome photoreceptor with the second Cys residue showing atypical orange/blue reversible photoconversion. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2023; 22:251-261. [PMID: 36156209 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-022-00310-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Cyanobacteriochromes (CBCRs) are cyanobacterial linear tetrapyrrole-binding photoreceptors distantly related to phytochromes. Only the GAF domain is needed for chromophore incorporation and proper photoconversion of the CBCRs. Most CBCR GAF domains possess the canonical Cys residue stably ligating to the chromophore. DXCF-type CBCR GAF domains also possess a second Cys residue within the DXCF motif. This second Cys residue reversibly ligates to the C10 of the chromophore. The Cys adduct formation is mostly observed for the dark-adapted state but not for the photoproduct state. In this study, we discovered novel CBCR GAF domains with a DXCI motif instead of the DXCF motif. Since these CBCR GAF domains are categorized into two subfamilies (DXCI-1 and DXCI-2), the GAF domains from each subfamily were analyzed. Although the CBCR GAF domain belonging to the DXCI-2 subfamily showed orange/green reversible photoconversion without transient Cys ligation, the CBCR GAF domain belonging to the DXCI-1 subfamily showed reversible photoconversion between an orange-absorbing dark-adapted state and a blue-absorbing photoproduct state. This indicates that the second Cys residue is covalently bound to the C10 of the chromophore in the photoproduct state but not in the dark-adapted state. Since the covalent bond formation in the photoproduct state is atypical, site-directed mutagenesis was conducted to understand the molecular mechanism of this GAF domain. The Ile residue within the DXCI motif may be key for covalent bond formation in the photoproduct state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Hoshino
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami-Ohsawa, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0397, Japan
| | - Rei Narikawa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami-Ohsawa, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0397, Japan.
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16
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Sadeghi M, Balke J, Rafaluk-Mohr T, Alexiev U. Long-Distance Protonation-Conformation Coupling in Phytochrome Species. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27238395. [PMID: 36500486 PMCID: PMC9737838 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27238395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Phytochromes are biological red/far-red light sensors found in many organisms. The connection between photoconversion and the cellular output signal involves light-mediated global structural changes in the interaction between the photosensory module (PAS-GAF-PHY, PGP) and the C-terminal transmitter (output) module. We recently showed a direct correlation of chromophore deprotonation with pH-dependent conformational changes in the various domains of the prototypical phytochrome Cph1 PGP. These results suggested that the transient phycocyanobilin (PCB) chromophore deprotonation is closely associated with a higher protein mobility both in proximal and distal protein sites, implying a causal relationship that might be important for the global large-scale protein rearrangements. Here, we investigate the prototypical biliverdin (BV)-binding phytochrome Agp1. The structural changes at various positions in Agp1 PGP were investigated as a function of pH using picosecond time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy and site-directed fluorescence labeling of cysteine variants of Agp1 PGP. We show that the direct correlation of chromophore deprotonation with pH-dependent conformational changes does not occur in Agp1. Together with the absence of long-range effects between the PHY domain and chromophore pKa, in contrast to the findings in Cph1, our results imply phytochrome species-specific correlations between transient chromophore deprotonation and intramolecular signal transduction.
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17
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Gabriel E, Krauß N, Lamparter T. Evidence for evolutionary relationship between archaeplastidal and cyanobacterial phytochromes based on their chromophore pockets. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2022; 21:1961-1974. [PMID: 35906526 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-022-00271-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Phytochromes are photoreceptor proteins with a bilin chromophore that undergo photoconversion between two spectrally different forms, Pr and Pfr. In plants, phytochromes play a central role in growth and differentiation during the entire life cycle. Phytochromes of plants and other groups of archaeplastida have a common evolutionary origin in prokaryotes, but the exact prokaryotic origin is as yet uncertain. Two possibilities are presently discussed: either, archaeplastidal phytochromes arose from the last eukaryotic common ancestor (LECA) or they arose from the cyanobacterial endosymbiont that gave rise to plastids. We first constructed standard phylogenetic trees based on N-terminal protein sequences of the chromophore module. As usual, variation of algorithms and parameters led to different trees. A relationship between cyanobacteria and archaeplastida was observed in 7 out of 36 trees. The lack of consistency between results obtained from variation of parameters of tree constructions reflects the uncertainty of archaeplastidal origin. To gain more information about a possible cyanobacterial and archaeplastidal relationship, we performed phylogenetic studies based on the amino acids that line the chromophore pockets. These amino acids are highly conserved and could provide more accurate information about long evolutionary time scales, but the reduction of traits could also lead to insignificant results. From 30 selected chromophore-binding amino acids, 6 were invariant. The subsequent studies were thus based on the information dependent on 24 or fewer amino acid positions. Again, multiple trees were constructed to get information about the robustness of relationships. The very low number of information-containing traits resulted in low bootstrap values and many indistinguishable leaves. However, the major groups fungi, bacteria, cyanobacteria, and plants remained united. Without exception, cyanobacteria and archaeplastida were always closely linked. In this respect, the results were more robust than those of the classic approach, based on long contiguous sequences. We therefore consider cyanobacteria as the most likely origin of archaeplastidal phytochromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Gabriel
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT, Botanical Institute, Fritz-Haber-Weg 4, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Norbert Krauß
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT, Botanical Institute, Fritz-Haber-Weg 4, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Tilman Lamparter
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT, Botanical Institute, Fritz-Haber-Weg 4, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany.
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18
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Böhm C, Gourinchas G, Zweytick S, Hujdur E, Reiter M, Trstenjak S, Sensen CW, Winkler A. Characterisation of sequence-structure-function space in sensor-effector integrators of phytochrome-regulated diguanylate cyclases. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2022; 21:1761-1779. [PMID: 35788917 PMCID: PMC9587094 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-022-00255-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the relationship between protein sequence, structure and function is one of the fundamental challenges in biochemistry. A direct correlation, however, is often not trivial since protein dynamics also play an important functional role-especially in signal transduction processes. In a subfamily of bacterial light sensors, phytochrome-activated diguanylate cyclases (PadCs), a characteristic coiled-coil linker element connects photoreceptor and output module, playing an essential role in signal integration. Combining phylogenetic analyses with biochemical characterisations, we were able to show that length and composition of this linker determine sensor-effector function and as such are under considerable evolutionary pressure. The linker length, together with the upstream PHY-specific domain, influences the dynamic range of effector activation and can even cause light-induced enzyme inhibition. We demonstrate phylogenetic clustering according to linker length, and the development of new linker lengths as well as new protein function within linker families. The biochemical characterisation of PadC homologs revealed that the functional coupling of PHY dimer interface and linker element defines signal integration and regulation of output functionality. A small subfamily of PadCs, characterised by a linker length breaking the coiled-coil pattern, shows a markedly different behaviour from other homologs. The effect of the central helical spine on PadC function highlights its essential role in signal integration as well as direct regulation of diguanylate cyclase activity. Appreciation of sensor-effector linkers as integrator elements and their coevolution with sensory modules is a further step towards the use of functionally diverse homologs as building blocks for rationally designed optogenetic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Böhm
- Institute of Biochemistry, Graz University of Technology, 8010, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed-Graz, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Geoffrey Gourinchas
- Institute of Biochemistry, Graz University of Technology, 8010, Graz, Austria
- Department of Integrated Structural Biology, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), 67404, Illkirch, France
| | - Sophie Zweytick
- Institute of Biochemistry, Graz University of Technology, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Elvira Hujdur
- Institute of Biochemistry, Graz University of Technology, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Martina Reiter
- Institute of Biochemistry, Graz University of Technology, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Sara Trstenjak
- Institute of Biochemistry, Graz University of Technology, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Christoph Wilhelm Sensen
- BioTechMed-Graz, 8010, Graz, Austria
- Hungarian Centre of Excellence for Molecular Medicine, Római körút 21, 6723, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Andreas Winkler
- Institute of Biochemistry, Graz University of Technology, 8010, Graz, Austria.
- BioTechMed-Graz, 8010, Graz, Austria.
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19
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Ma Q, Lan DM, Shao AN, Li YH, Zhang XY. Red fluorescent protein from cyanobacteriochrome chromophorylated with phycocyanobilin and biliverdin. Anal Biochem 2022; 642:114557. [PMID: 35092720 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2022.114557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Cyanobacteriochromes are the extended family of phytochrome photosensors characterized in cyanobacteria. Alr1966g2C56A is a cyanobacteriochrome mutant of Alr1966g2 in Nostoc sp. PCC 7120 from freshwater. In this paper, we truncated ten residues in the N-terminus and ten residues in the C-terminus of Alr1966g2C56A and obtained truncated Alr1966g2C46A, termed as Alr1966g2C46A-tr. Alr1966g2C46A-tr binded covalently not only phycocyanobilin but also biliverdin via Cys74 of the conserved CH motif, and showed a significant improvement in binding-PCB efficiency in E. coli, compared with that of untruncated Alr1966g2C56A. We also captured a persistent red fluorescence of Alr1966g2C46A-tr-PCB or Alr1966g2C46A-tr-BV expressed in live E. coli. Thus, Alr1966g2C46A-tr was suitable for the stable red fluorescent probe as a starting material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Ma
- College of Biological Science and Technology, Hubei Minzu University, Enshi, 445000, China; Key Laboratory of Biologic Resources Protection and Utilization of Hubei Province, Hubei Minzu University, Enshi, 445000, China.
| | - De-Miao Lan
- College of Biological Science and Technology, Hubei Minzu University, Enshi, 445000, China
| | - An-Na Shao
- College of Biological Science and Technology, Hubei Minzu University, Enshi, 445000, China
| | - Ying-Hao Li
- College of Biological Science and Technology, Hubei Minzu University, Enshi, 445000, China
| | - Xiao-Yuan Zhang
- Research Institute Shaoguan Huagong Hig-tech Industry, Shaoguan, 512027, China
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20
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Abstract
This review adds the bilin-binding phytochromes to the Chemical Reviews thematic issue "Optogenetics and Photopharmacology". The work is structured into two parts. We first outline the photochemistry of the covalently bound tetrapyrrole chromophore and summarize relevant spectroscopic, kinetic, biochemical, and physiological properties of the different families of phytochromes. Based on this knowledge, we then describe the engineering of phytochromes to further improve these chromoproteins as photoswitches and review their employment in an ever-growing number of different optogenetic applications. Most applications rely on the light-controlled complex formation between the plant photoreceptor PhyB and phytochrome-interacting factors (PIFs) or C-terminal light-regulated domains with enzymatic functions present in many bacterial and algal phytochromes. Phytochrome-based optogenetic tools are currently implemented in bacteria, yeast, plants, and animals to achieve light control of a wide range of biological activities. These cover the regulation of gene expression, protein transport into cell organelles, and the recruitment of phytochrome- or PIF-tagged proteins to membranes and other cellular compartments. This compilation illustrates the intrinsic advantages of phytochromes compared to other photoreceptor classes, e.g., their bidirectional dual-wavelength control enabling instant ON and OFF regulation. In particular, the long wavelength range of absorption and fluorescence within the "transparent window" makes phytochromes attractive for complex applications requiring deep tissue penetration or dual-wavelength control in combination with blue and UV light-sensing photoreceptors. In addition to the wide variability of applications employing natural and engineered phytochromes, we also discuss recent progress in the development of bilin-based fluorescent proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Tang
- Institute
of Synthetic Biology, Heinrich-Heine-University
Düsseldorf, Universitätsstrasse 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Hannes M. Beyer
- Institute
of Synthetic Biology, Heinrich-Heine-University
Düsseldorf, Universitätsstrasse 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Matias D. Zurbriggen
- Institute
of Synthetic Biology and CEPLAS, Heinrich-Heine-University
Düsseldorf, Universitätsstrasse
1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Gärtner
- Retired: Max Planck Institute
for Chemical Energy Conversion. At present: Institute for Analytical Chemistry, University
Leipzig, Linnéstrasse
3, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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21
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Manoilov KY, Ghosh A, Almo SC, Verkhusha VV. Structural and Functional Characterization of a Biliverdin-Binding Near-Infrared Fluorescent Protein From the Serpin Superfamily. J Mol Biol 2021; 434:167359. [PMID: 34798132 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Biliverdin-binding serpins (BBSs) are proteins that are responsible for coloration in amphibians and fluoresce in the near-infrared (NIR) spectral region. Here we produced the first functional recombinant BBS of the polka-dot treefrog Boana punctata (BpBBS), assembled with its biliverdin (BV) chromophore, and report its biochemical and photochemical characterization. We determined the crystal structure of BpBBS at 2.05 Å resolution, which demonstrated its structural homology to the mammalian protease inhibitor alpha-1-antitrypsin. BV interaction with BpBBS was studied and it was found that the N-terminal polypeptide (residues 19-50) plays a critical role in the BV binding. By comparing BpBBS with the available NIR fluorescent proteins and expressing it in mammalian cells, we demonstrated its potential as a NIR imaging probe. These results provide insight into the non-inhibitory function of serpins, provide a basis for improving their performance in mammalian cells, and suggest possible paths for the development of BBS-based fluorescent probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyrylo Yu Manoilov
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Agnidipta Ghosh
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. https://twitter.com/@AgniGh0sh
| | - Steven C Almo
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Vladislav V Verkhusha
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00290, Finland; Science Center for Genetics and Life Sciences, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi 354340, Russia.
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22
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Fischer T, van Wilderen LJGW, Gnau P, Bredenbeck J, Essen LO, Wachtveitl J, Slavov C. Ultrafast Photoconversion Dynamics of the Knotless Phytochrome SynCph2. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910690. [PMID: 34639031 PMCID: PMC8508867 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The family of phytochrome photoreceptors contains proteins with different domain architectures and spectral properties. Knotless phytochromes are one of the three main subgroups classified by their distinct lack of the PAS domain in their photosensory core module, which is in contrast to the canonical PAS-GAF-PHY array. Despite intensive research on the ultrafast photodynamics of phytochromes, little is known about the primary kinetics in knotless phytochromes. Here, we present the ultrafast Pr ⇆ Pfr photodynamics of SynCph2, the best-known knotless phytochrome. Our results show that the excited state lifetime of Pr* (~200 ps) is similar to bacteriophytochromes, but much longer than in most canonical phytochromes. We assign the slow Pr* kinetics to relaxation processes of the chromophore-binding pocket that controls the bilin chromophore’s isomerization step. The Pfr photoconversion dynamics starts with a faster excited state relaxation than in canonical phytochromes, but, despite the differences in the respective domain architectures, proceeds via similar ground state intermediate steps up to Meta-F. Based on our observations, we propose that the kinetic features and overall dynamics of the ultrafast photoreaction are determined to a great extent by the geometrical context (i.e., available space and flexibility) within the binding pocket, while the general reaction steps following the photoexcitation are most likely conserved among the red/far-red phytochromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Fischer
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue Straße 7, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany;
| | - Luuk J. G. W. van Wilderen
- Institute of Biophysics, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue Straße 1, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; (L.J.G.W.v.W.); (J.B.)
| | - Petra Gnau
- Department of Chemistry, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Straße 4, 35032 Marburg, Germany; (P.G.); (L.-O.E.)
| | - Jens Bredenbeck
- Institute of Biophysics, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue Straße 1, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; (L.J.G.W.v.W.); (J.B.)
| | - Lars-Oliver Essen
- Department of Chemistry, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Straße 4, 35032 Marburg, Germany; (P.G.); (L.-O.E.)
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Straße 6, 35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Josef Wachtveitl
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue Straße 7, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany;
- Correspondence: (J.W.); (C.S.)
| | - Chavdar Slavov
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue Straße 7, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany;
- Correspondence: (J.W.); (C.S.)
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23
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Böhm C, Todorović N, Balasso M, Gourinchas G, Winkler A. The PHY Domain Dimer Interface of Bacteriophytochromes Mediates Cross-talk between Photosensory Modules and Output Domains. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167092. [PMID: 34116122 PMCID: PMC7615318 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Protein dynamics play a major role for the catalytic function of enzymes, the interaction of protein complexes or signal integration in regulatory proteins. In the context of multi-domain proteins involved in light-regulation of enzymatic effectors, the central role of conformational dynamics is well established. Light activation of sensory modules is followed by long-range signal transduction to different effectors; rather than domino-style structural rearrangements, a complex interplay of functional elements is required to maintain functionality. One family of such sensor-effector systems are red-light-regulated phytochromes that control diguanylate cyclases involved in cyclic-dimeric-GMP formation. Based on structural and functional studies of one prototypic family member, the central role of the coiled-coil sensor-effector linker was established. Interestingly, subfamilies with different linker lengths feature strongly varying biochemical characteristics. The dynamic interplay of the domains involved, however, is presently not understood. Here we show that the PHY domain dimer interface plays an essential role in signal integration, and that a functional coupling with the coiled-coil linker element is crucial. Chimaeras of two biochemically different family members highlight the phytochrome-spanning helical spine as an essential structural element involved in light-dependent upregulation of enzymatic turnover. However, isolated structural elements can frequently not be assigned to individual characteristics, which further emphasises the importance of global conformational dynamics. Our results provide insights into the intricate processes at play during light signal integration and transduction in these photosensory systems and thus provide additional guidelines for a more directed design of novel sensor-effector combinations with potential applications as optogenetic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Böhm
- Institute of Biochemistry, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz, Austria; BioTechMed-Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Nikolina Todorović
- Institute of Biochemistry, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Marco Balasso
- Institute of Biochemistry, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Geoffrey Gourinchas
- Institute of Biochemistry, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Andreas Winkler
- Institute of Biochemistry, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz, Austria; BioTechMed-Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria.
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24
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Bandara S, Rockwell NC, Zeng X, Ren Z, Wang C, Shin H, Martin SS, Moreno MV, Lagarias JC, Yang X. Crystal structure of a far-red-sensing cyanobacteriochrome reveals an atypical bilin conformation and spectral tuning mechanism. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2025094118. [PMID: 33727422 PMCID: PMC8000052 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2025094118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacteriochromes (CBCRs) are small, linear tetrapyrrole (bilin)-binding photoreceptors in the phytochrome superfamily that regulate diverse light-mediated adaptive processes in cyanobacteria. More spectrally diverse than canonical red/far-red-sensing phytochromes, CBCRs were thought to be restricted to sensing visible and near UV light until recently when several subfamilies with far-red-sensing representatives (frCBCRs) were discovered. Two of these frCBCRs subfamilies have been shown to incorporate bilin precursors with larger pi-conjugated chromophores, while the third frCBCR subfamily uses the same phycocyanobilin precursor found in the bulk of the known CBCRs. To elucidate the molecular basis of far-red light perception by this third frCBCR subfamily, we determined the crystal structure of the far-red-absorbing dark state of one such frCBCR Anacy_2551g3 from Anabaena cylindrica PCC 7122 which exhibits a reversible far-red/orange photocycle. Determined by room temperature serial crystallography and cryocrystallography, the refined 2.7-Å structure reveals an unusual all-Z,syn configuration of the phycocyanobilin (PCB) chromophore that is considerably less extended than those of previously characterized red-light sensors in the phytochrome superfamily. Based on structural and spectroscopic comparisons with other bilin-binding proteins together with site-directed mutagenesis data, our studies reveal protein-chromophore interactions that are critical for the atypical bathochromic shift. Based on these analyses, we propose that far-red absorption in Anacy_2551g3 is the result of the additive effect of two distinct red-shift mechanisms involving cationic bilin lactim tautomers stabilized by a constrained all-Z,syn conformation and specific interactions with a highly conserved anionic residue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sepalika Bandara
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60607
| | - Nathan C Rockwell
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Xiaoli Zeng
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60607
| | - Zhong Ren
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60607
| | - Cong Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60607
| | - Heewhan Shin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60607
| | - Shelley S Martin
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Marcus V Moreno
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - J Clark Lagarias
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616;
| | - Xiaojing Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60607;
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60607
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25
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Montecinos-Franjola F, Lin JY, Rodriguez EA. Fluorescent proteins for in vivo imaging, where's the biliverdin? Biochem Soc Trans 2020; 48:2657-2667. [PMID: 33196077 DOI: 10.1042/bst20200444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Noninvasive fluorescent imaging requires far-red and near-infrared fluorescent proteins for deeper imaging. Near-infrared light penetrates biological tissue with blood vessels due to low absorbance, scattering, and reflection of light and has a greater signal-to-noise due to less autofluorescence. Far-red and near-infrared fluorescent proteins absorb light >600 nm to expand the color palette for imaging multiple biosensors and noninvasive in vivo imaging. The ideal fluorescent proteins are bright, photobleach minimally, express well in the desired cells, do not oligomerize, and generate or incorporate exogenous fluorophores efficiently. Coral-derived red fluorescent proteins require oxygen for fluorophore formation and release two hydrogen peroxide molecules. New fluorescent proteins based on phytochrome and phycobiliproteins use biliverdin IXα as fluorophores, do not require oxygen for maturation to image anaerobic organisms and tumor core, and do not generate hydrogen peroxide. The small Ultra-Red Fluorescent Protein (smURFP) was evolved from a cyanobacterial phycobiliprotein to covalently attach biliverdin as an exogenous fluorophore. The small Ultra-Red Fluorescent Protein is biophysically as bright as the enhanced green fluorescent protein, is exceptionally photostable, used for biosensor development, and visible in living mice. Novel applications of smURFP include in vitro protein diagnostics with attomolar (10-18 M) sensitivity, encapsulation in viral particles, and fluorescent protein nanoparticles. However, the availability of biliverdin limits the fluorescence of biliverdin-attaching fluorescent proteins; hence, extra biliverdin is needed to enhance brightness. New methods for improved biliverdin bioavailability are necessary to develop improved bright far-red and near-infrared fluorescent proteins for noninvasive imaging in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John Y Lin
- School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia
| | - Erik A Rodriguez
- Department of Chemistry, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, U.S.A
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26
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Abstract
Understanding photoisomerization dynamics in cyanobacteriochromes is important to the development of optical agents in near-infrared biological imaging and optogenetics. Here, by integrating femtosecond spectroscopy and site-directed mutagenesis, we investigate the photoinduced Pr-state isomerization dynamics and mechanism of a unique red/green cyanobacteriochrome from Leptolyngbya sp. JSC-1. We observed multiphasic dynamics in the Pr state, a widespread phenomenon for photoreceptors in the phytochrome superfamily, and revealed their origins; the initial dynamics over a few to tens and hundreds of picoseconds arises from the local active-site relaxations followed by the slow double-bond isomerization in several hundreds of picoseconds. Such continuous active-site evolution results in a unique spectral tuning effect that favors the blue-side emission and suppresses the red-side emission. We also observed the faster dynamics in both relaxation and isomerization with critical mutants at the active site that render a looser active site. These results clearly distinguish the multiphasic dynamics between relaxation and isomerization and reveal a novel molecular mechanism for better biological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Xiaojing Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
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27
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Subach OM, Subach FV. GAF-CaMP3-sfGFP, An Enhanced Version of the Near-Infrared Genetically Encoded Positive Phytochrome-Based Calcium Indicator for the Visualization of Neuronal Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186883. [PMID: 32961791 PMCID: PMC7555670 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The first generation of near-infrared, genetically encoded calcium indicators (NIR-GECIs) was developed from bacterial phytochrome-based fluorescent proteins that utilize biliverdin (BV) as the chromophore moiety. However, NIR-GECIs have some main drawbacks such as either an inverted response to calcium ions (in the case of NIR-GECO1) or a limited dynamic range and a lack of data about their application in neurons (in the case of GAF-CaMP2–superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP)). Here, we developed an enhanced version of the GAF-CaMP2–sfGFP indicator, named GAF-CaMP3–sfGFP. The GAF-CaMP3–sfGFP demonstrated spectral characteristics, molecular brightness, and a calcium affinity similar to the respective characteristics for its progenitor, but a 2.9-fold larger ΔF/F response to calcium ions. As compared to GAF-CaMP2–sfGFP, in cultured HeLa cells, GAF-CaMP3–sfGFP had similar brightness but a 1.9-fold larger ΔF/F response to the elevation of calcium ions levels. Finally, we successfully utilized the GAF-CaMP3–sfGFP for the monitoring of the spontaneous and stimulated activity of neuronal cultures and compared its performance with the R-GECO1 indicator using two-color confocal imaging. In the cultured neurons, GAF-CaMP3–sfGFP showed a linear ΔF/F response in the range of 0–20 APs and in this range demonstrated a 1.4-fold larger ΔF/F response but a 1.3- and 2.4-fold slower rise and decay kinetics, respectively, as compared to the same parameters for the R-GECO1 indicator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oksana M. Subach
- Correspondence: (O.M.S.); (F.V.S.); Tel.: +07-499-196 7100-3389 (O.M.S. & F.V.S.)
| | - Fedor V. Subach
- Correspondence: (O.M.S.); (F.V.S.); Tel.: +07-499-196 7100-3389 (O.M.S. & F.V.S.)
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28
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Khan FI, Hassan F, Anwer R, Juan F, Lai D. Comparative Analysis of Bacteriophytochrome Agp2 and Its Engineered Photoactivatable NIR Fluorescent Proteins PAiRFP1 and PAiRFP2. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10091286. [PMID: 32906690 PMCID: PMC7564321 DOI: 10.3390/biom10091286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Two photoactivatable near infrared fluorescent proteins (NIR FPs) named “PAiRFP1” and “PAiRFP2” are formed by directed molecular evolution from Agp2, a bathy bacteriophytochrome of Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58. There are 15 and 24 amino acid substitutions in the structure of PAiRFP1 and PAiRFP2, respectively. A comprehensive molecular exploration of these bacteriophytochrome photoreceptors (BphPs) are required to understand the structure dynamics. In this study, the NIR fluorescence emission spectra for PAiRFP1 were recorded upon repeated excitation and the fluorescence intensity of PAiRFP1 tends to increase as the irradiation time was prolonged. We also predicted that mutations Q168L, V244F, and A480V in Agp2 will enhance the molecular stability and flexibility. During molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, the average root mean square deviations of Agp2, PAiRFP1, and PAiRFP2 were found to be 0.40, 0.49, and 0.48 nm, respectively. The structure of PAiRFP1 and PAiRFP2 were more deviated than Agp2 from its native conformation and the hydrophobic regions that were buried in PAiRFP1 and PAiRFP2 core exposed to solvent molecules. The eigenvalues and the trace of covariance matrix were found to be high for PAiRFP1 (597.90 nm2) and PAiRFP2 (726.74 nm2) when compared with Agp2 (535.79 nm2). It was also found that PAiRFP1 has more sharp Gibbs free energy global minima than Agp2 and PAiRFP2. This comparative analysis will help to gain deeper understanding on the structural changes during the evolution of photoactivatable NIR FPs. Further work can be carried out by combining PCR-based directed mutagenesis and spectroscopic methods to provide strategies for the rational designing of these PAiRFPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faez Iqbal Khan
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China;
| | - Fakhrul Hassan
- School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China; (F.H.); (F.J.)
| | - Razique Anwer
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 13317, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Feng Juan
- School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China; (F.H.); (F.J.)
| | - Dakun Lai
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-182-0052-9516
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29
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Abstract
Red-light bacteriophytochromes regulate many physiological functions through photoisomerization of a linear tetrapyrrole chromophore. In this work, we mapped out femtosecond-resolved fluorescence spectra of the excited Pr state and observed unique active-site relaxations on the picosecond time scale with unusual spectral tuning of rises on the blue side and decays on the red side of the emission. We also observed initial wavepacket dynamics in femtoseconds with two low-frequency modes of 38 and 181 cm-1 as well as the intermediate product formation after isomerization in hundreds of picoseconds. With critical mutations at the active site, we observed similar dynamic patterns with different times for both relaxation and isomerization, consistent with the structural and chemical changes induced by the mutations. The observed multiphasic dynamics clearly represents the active-site relaxation, not different intermediate reactions or excitation of heterogeneous ground states. The active-site relaxation must be considered in understanding overall isomerization reactions in phytochromes, and such a molecular mechanism should be general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dihao Wang
- Program of Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Yangzhong Qin
- Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Meng Zhang
- Program of Biophysics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Xiankun Li
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Lijuan Wang
- Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Xiaojing Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
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30
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Villafani Y, Yang HW, Park YI. Color Sensing and Signal Transmission Diversity of Cyanobacterial Phytochromes and Cyanobacteriochromes. Mol Cells 2020; 43:509-516. [PMID: 32438780 PMCID: PMC7332365 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2020.0077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
To perceive fluctuations in light quality, quantity, and timing, higher plants have evolved diverse photoreceptors including UVR8 (a UV-B photoreceptor), cryptochromes, phototropins, and phytochromes (Phys). In contrast to plants, prokaryotic oxygen-evolving photosynthetic organisms, cyanobacteria, rely mostly on bilin-based photoreceptors, namely, cyanobacterial phytochromes (Cphs) and cyanobacteriochromes (CBCRs), which exhibit structural and functional differences compared with plant Phys. CBCRs comprise varying numbers of light sensing domains with diverse color-tuning mechanisms and signal transmission pathways, allowing cyanobacteria to respond to UV-A, visible, and far-red lights. Recent genomic surveys of filamentous cyanobacteria revealed novel CBCRs with broader chromophore-binding specificity and photocycle protochromicity. Furthermore, a novel Cph lineage has been identified that absorbs blue-violet/yellow-orange light. In this minireview, we briefly discuss the diversity in color sensing and signal transmission mechanisms of Cphs and CBCRs, along with their potential utility in the field of optogenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvette Villafani
- Department of Biological Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Hee Wook Yang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Youn-Il Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
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31
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Leopold AV, Pletnev S, Verkhusha VV. Bacterial Phytochrome as a Scaffold for Engineering of Receptor Tyrosine Kinases Controlled with Near-Infrared Light. J Mol Biol 2020; 432:3749-3760. [PMID: 32302608 PMCID: PMC7306426 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2020.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Optically controlled receptor tyrosine kinases (opto-RTKs) allow regulation of RTK signaling using light. Until recently, the majority of opto-RTKs were activated with blue-green light. Fusing a photosensory core module of Deinococcus radiodurans bacterial phytochrome (DrBphP-PCM) to the kinase domains of neurotrophin receptors resulted in opto-RTKs controlled with light above 650 nm. To expand this engineering approach to RTKs of other families, here we combined the DrBpP-PCM with the cytoplasmic domains of EGFR and FGFR1. The resultant Dr-EGFR and Dr-FGFR1 opto-RTKs are rapidly activated with near-infrared and inactivated with far-red light. The opto-RTKs efficiently trigger ERK1/2, PI3K/Akt, and PLCγ signaling. Absence of spectral crosstalk between the opto-RTKs and green fluorescent protein-based biosensors enables simultaneous Dr-FGFR1 activation and detection of calcium transients. Action mechanism of the DrBphP-PCM-based opto-RTKs is considered using the available RTK structures. DrBphP-PCM represents a versatile scaffold for engineering of opto-RTKs that are reversibly regulated with far-red and near-infrared light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna V Leopold
- Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00290, Finland
| | - Sergei Pletnev
- Macromolecular Crystallography Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Basic Science Program, Leidos Biomedical Research Inc., Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - Vladislav V Verkhusha
- Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00290, Finland; Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, and Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
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32
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Li W, Jiang HX, Geng Y, Wang XH, Gao RZ, Tang AN, Kong DM. Facile Removal of Phytochromes and Efficient Recovery of Pesticides Using Heteropore Covalent Organic Framework-Based Magnetic Nanospheres and Electrospun Films. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2020; 12:20922-20932. [PMID: 32297732 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c01608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Nontargeted analysis of food safety requires selective removal of interference matrices and highly efficient recovery of chemical hazards. Porous materials such as covalent organic frameworks (COFs) show great promise in selective adsorption of matrix molecules via size selectivity. Considering the complexity of interference matrices, we prepared crystalline heteropore COFs whose two kinds of pores have comparable sizes to those of several common phytochromes, main interference matrices in vegetable sample analysis. By controlling the growth of COFs on the surface of Fe3O4 nanoparticles or by utilizing a facile co-electrospinning method, heteropore COF-based magnetic nanospheres or electrospun nanofiber films were prepared, respectively. Both the nanospheres and the films maintain the dual-pore structures of COFs and show good stability and excellent reusability. Via simple magnetic separation or immersion operation, respectively, they were successfully used for the complete removal of phytochromes and highly efficient recovery of 15 pesticides from the extracts of four vegetable samples, and the recoveries are in the range of 83.10-114.00 and 60.52-107.35%, respectively. Film-based immersion operation gives better sample pretreatment performance than the film-based filtration one. This work highlights the great application potentials of heteropore COFs in sample pretreatment for nontargeted analysis, thus opening up a new way to achieve high-performance sample preparation in many fields such as food safety analysis, environment monitoring, and so on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-Xin Jiang
- Agro-Environmental Protection Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Tianjin 300191, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Environmental Factors Control of Agro-product Quality Safety, Ministry of Agriculture, Tianjin 300191, People's Republic of China
- Laboratory of Environmental Factors Risk Assessment of Agro-Product Quality Safety, Ministry of Agriculture, Tianjin 300191, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Geng
- Agro-Environmental Protection Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Tianjin 300191, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Environmental Factors Control of Agro-product Quality Safety, Ministry of Agriculture, Tianjin 300191, People's Republic of China
- Laboratory of Environmental Factors Risk Assessment of Agro-Product Quality Safety, Ministry of Agriculture, Tianjin 300191, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Han Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, People's Republic of China
| | - Rong-Zhi Gao
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, People's Republic of China
| | - An-Na Tang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, People's Republic of China
| | - De-Ming Kong
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, People's Republic of China
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33
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Hassan F, Khan FI, Song H, Lai D, Juan F. Effects of reverse genetic mutations on the spectral and photochemical behavior of a photoactivatable fluorescent protein PAiRFP1. Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc 2020; 228:117807. [PMID: 31806482 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2019.117807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophytochrome photoreceptors (BphPs) containing biliverdin (BV) have great potential for the development of genetically engineered near-infrared fluorescent proteins (NIR FPs). We investigated a photoactivatable fluorescent protein PAiRFP1, was engineered through directed molecular evolution. The coexistence of both red light absorbing (Pr) and far-red light absorbing (Pfr) states in dark is essential for the photoactivation of PAiRFP1. The PCR based site-directed reverse mutagenesis, spectroscopic measurements and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed on three targeted sites V386A, V480A and Y498H in PHY domain to explore their potential effects during molecular evolution of PAiRFP1. We found that these substitutions did not affect the coexistence of Pr and Pfr states but led to slight changes in the photophysical parameters. The covalent docking of biliverdin (cis and trans form) with PAiRFP1 was followed by several 100 ns MD simulations to provide some theoretical explanations for the coexistence of Pr and pfr states. The results suggested that experimentally observed coexistence of Pr and Pfr states in both PAiRFP1 and mutants were resulted from the improved stability of Pr state. The use of experimental and computational work provided useful understanding of Pr and Pfr states and the effects of these mutations on the photophysical properties of PAiRFP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fakhrul Hassan
- School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Faez Iqbal Khan
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
| | - Honghong Song
- School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Dakun Lai
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
| | - Feng Juan
- School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
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Stepanenko OV, Stepanenko OV, Shpironok OG, Fonin AV, Kuznetsova IM, Turoverov KK. Near-Infrared Markers based on Bacterial Phytochromes with Phycocyanobilin as a Chromophore. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20236067. [PMID: 31810174 PMCID: PMC6928796 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20236067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Revised: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Biomarkers engineered on the basis of bacterial phytochromes with biliverdin IXα (BV) cofactor as a chromophore are increasingly used in cell biology and biomedicine, since their absorption and fluorescence spectra lie within the so-called optical “transparency window” of biological tissues. However, the quantum yield of BV fluorescence in these biomarkers does not exceed 0.145. The task of generating biomarkers with a higher fluorescence quantum yield remains relevant. To address the problem, we proposed the use of phycocyanobilin (PCB) as a chromophore of biomarkers derived from bacterial phytochromes. In this work, we characterized the complexes of iRFP713 evolved from RpBphP2 and its mutant variants with different location of cysteine residues capable of covalent tetrapyrrole attachment with the PCB cofactor. All analyzed proteins assembled with PCB were shown to have a higher fluorescence quantum yield than the proteins assembled with BV. The iRFP713/V256C and iRFP713/C15S/V256C assembled with PCB have a particularly high quantum yield of 0.5 and 0.45, which exceeds the quantum yield of all currently available near-infrared biomarkers. Moreover, PCB has 4 times greater affinity for iRFP713/V256C and iRFP713/C15S/V256C proteins compared to BV. These data establish iRFP713/V256C and iRFP713/C15S/V256C assembled with the PCB chromophore as promising biomarkers for application in vivo. The analysis of the spectral properties of the tested biomarkers allowed for suggesting that the high-fluorescence quantum yield of the PCB chromophore can be attributed to the lower mobility of the D-ring of PCB compared to BV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olesya V. Stepanenko
- Laboratory of Structural Dynamics, Stability and Folding of Proteins, Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 4 Tikhoretsky ave., St. Petersburg 194064, Russia; (O.V.S.); (O.V.S.); (O.G.S.); (A.V.F.); (I.M.K.)
| | - Olga V. Stepanenko
- Laboratory of Structural Dynamics, Stability and Folding of Proteins, Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 4 Tikhoretsky ave., St. Petersburg 194064, Russia; (O.V.S.); (O.V.S.); (O.G.S.); (A.V.F.); (I.M.K.)
| | - Olesya G. Shpironok
- Laboratory of Structural Dynamics, Stability and Folding of Proteins, Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 4 Tikhoretsky ave., St. Petersburg 194064, Russia; (O.V.S.); (O.V.S.); (O.G.S.); (A.V.F.); (I.M.K.)
| | - Alexander V. Fonin
- Laboratory of Structural Dynamics, Stability and Folding of Proteins, Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 4 Tikhoretsky ave., St. Petersburg 194064, Russia; (O.V.S.); (O.V.S.); (O.G.S.); (A.V.F.); (I.M.K.)
| | - Irina M. Kuznetsova
- Laboratory of Structural Dynamics, Stability and Folding of Proteins, Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 4 Tikhoretsky ave., St. Petersburg 194064, Russia; (O.V.S.); (O.V.S.); (O.G.S.); (A.V.F.); (I.M.K.)
| | - Konstantin K. Turoverov
- Laboratory of Structural Dynamics, Stability and Folding of Proteins, Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 4 Tikhoretsky ave., St. Petersburg 194064, Russia; (O.V.S.); (O.V.S.); (O.G.S.); (A.V.F.); (I.M.K.)
- Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Polytechnicheskaya str., 29, St. Petersburg 194064, Russia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-812-297-19-57
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35
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Yang J, Li L, Shemetov AA, Lee S, Zhao Y, Liu Y, Shen Y, Li J, Oka Y, Verkhusha VV, Wang LV. Focusing light inside live tissue using reversibly switchable bacterial phytochrome as a genetically encoded photochromic guide star. Sci Adv 2019; 5:eaay1211. [PMID: 31844671 PMCID: PMC6905864 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aay1211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Focusing light deep by engineering wavefronts toward guide stars inside scattering media has potential biomedical applications in imaging, manipulation, stimulation, and therapy. However, the lack of endogenous guide stars in biological tissue hinders its translations to in vivo applications. Here, we use a reversibly switchable bacterial phytochrome protein as a genetically encoded photochromic guide star (GePGS) in living tissue to tag photons at targeted locations, achieving light focusing inside the tissue by wavefront shaping. As bacterial phytochrome-based GePGS absorbs light differently upon far-red and near-infrared illumination, a large dynamic absorption contrast can be created to tag photons inside tissue. By modulating the GePGS at a distinctive frequency, we suppressed the competition between GePGS and tissue motions and formed tight foci inside mouse tumors in vivo and acute mouse brain tissue, thus improving light delivery efficiency and specificity. Spectral multiplexing of GePGS proteins with different colors is an attractive possibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiamiao Yang
- Caltech Optical Imaging Laboratory, Andrew and Peggy Cherng Department of Medical Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Lei Li
- Caltech Optical Imaging Laboratory, Andrew and Peggy Cherng Department of Medical Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Anton A. Shemetov
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, and Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Sangjun Lee
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Yuan Zhao
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Yan Liu
- Caltech Optical Imaging Laboratory, Andrew and Peggy Cherng Department of Medical Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Yuecheng Shen
- Caltech Optical Imaging Laboratory, Andrew and Peggy Cherng Department of Medical Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Jingwei Li
- Caltech Optical Imaging Laboratory, Andrew and Peggy Cherng Department of Medical Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Yuki Oka
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Vladislav V. Verkhusha
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, and Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Lihong V. Wang
- Caltech Optical Imaging Laboratory, Andrew and Peggy Cherng Department of Medical Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
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36
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Papiz MZ, Bellini D, Evans K, Grossmann JG, Fordham‐Skelton T. Light-induced complex formation of bacteriophytochrome RpBphP1 and gene repressor RpPpsR2 probed by SAXS. FEBS J 2019; 286:4261-4277. [PMID: 31243889 PMCID: PMC6899989 DOI: 10.1111/febs.14973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Revised: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Bacteriophytochrome proteins (BphPs) are molecular light switches that enable organisms to adapt to changing light conditions through the control of gene expression. Canonical type 1 BphPs have histidine kinase output domains, but type 3 RpBphP1, in the bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris (Rps. palustris), has a C terminal PAS9 domain and a two-helix output sensor (HOS) domain. Type 1 BphPs form head-to-head parallel dimers; however, the crystal structure of RpBphP1ΔHOS, which does not contain the HOS domain, revealed pseudo anti-parallel dimers. HOS domains are homologs of Dhp dimerization domains in type 1 BphPs. We show, by applying the small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique on full-length RpBphP1, that HOS domains fulfill a similar role in the formation of parallel dimers. On illumination with far-red light, RpBphP1 forms a complex with gene repressor RpPpsR2 through light-induced structural changes in its HOS domains. An RpBphP1:RpPpsR2 complex is formed in the molecular ratio of 2 : 1 such that one RpBphP1 dimer binds one RpPpsR2 monomer. Molecular dimers have been modeled with Pfr and Pr SAXS data, suggesting that, in the Pfr state, stable dimeric four α-helix bundles are formed between HOS domains, rendering RpBphP1functionally inert. On illumination with light of 760 nm wavelength, four α-helix bundles formed by HOS dimers are disrupted, rendering helices available for binding with RpPpsR2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miroslav Z. Papiz
- Institute of Integrative BiologyUniversity of LiverpoolUK
- STFC Daresbury LaboratoryWarringtonUK
| | - Dom Bellini
- Institute of Integrative BiologyUniversity of LiverpoolUK
| | - Kate Evans
- Pharmacy and Biomolecular SciencesLiverpool John Moores UniversityUK
| | - J Günter Grossmann
- Institute of Integrative BiologyUniversity of LiverpoolUK
- STFC Daresbury LaboratoryWarringtonUK
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37
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Abstract
Extensive research over several decades in plant light signaling mediated by photoreceptors has identified the molecular mechanisms for how phytochromes regulate photomorphogenic development, which includes degradation of phytochrome-interacting factors (PIFs) and inactivation of COP1-SPA complexes with the accumulation of master transcription factors for photomorphogenesis, such as HY5. However, the initial biochemical mechanism for the function of phytochromes has not been fully elucidated. Plant phytochromes have long been known as phosphoproteins, and a few protein phosphatases that directly interact with and dephosphorylate phytochromes have been identified. However, there is no report thus far of a protein kinase that acts on phytochromes. On the other hand, plant phytochromes have been suggested as autophosphorylating serine/threonine protein kinases, proposing that the kinase activity might be important for their functions. Indeed, the autophosphorylation of phytochromes has been reported to play an important role in the regulation of plant light signaling. More recently, evidence that phytochromes function as protein kinases in plant light signaling has been provided using phytochrome mutants displaying reduced kinase activities. In this review, we highlight recent advances in the reversible phosphorylation of phytochromes and their functions as protein kinases in plant light signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quyen T N Hoang
- Department of Biotechnology and Kumho Life Science Laboratory, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea
| | - Yun-Jeong Han
- Department of Biotechnology and Kumho Life Science Laboratory, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea
| | - Jeong-Il Kim
- Department of Biotechnology and Kumho Life Science Laboratory, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea.
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38
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Buhrke D, Tavraz NN, Shcherbakova DM, Sauthof L, Moldenhauer M, Vélazquez Escobar F, Verkhusha VV, Hildebrandt P, Friedrich T. Chromophore binding to two cysteines increases quantum yield of near-infrared fluorescent proteins. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1866. [PMID: 30755663 PMCID: PMC6372600 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-38433-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 12/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Phytochromes are red/far-red light sensing photoreceptors employing linear tetrapyrroles as chromophores, which are covalently bound to a cysteine (Cys) residue in the chromophore-binding domain (CBD, composed of a PAS and a GAF domain). Recently, near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent proteins (FPs) engineered from bacterial phytochromes binding biliverdin IXα (BV), such as the iRFP series, have become invaluable probes for multicolor fluorescence microscopy and in vivo imaging. However, all current NIR FPs suffer from relatively low brightness. Here, by combining biochemical, spectroscopic and resonance Raman (RR) assays, we purified and characterized an iRFP variant that contains a BV chromophore simultaneously bound to two cysteines. This protein with the unusual double-Cys attached BV showed the highest fluorescence quantum yield (FQY) of 16.6% reported for NIR FPs, whereas the initial iRFP appeared to be a mixture of species with a mean FQY of 11.1%. The purified protein was also characterized with 1.3-fold higher extinction coefficient that together with FQY resulted in almost two-fold brighter fluorescence than the original iRFP as isolated. This work shows that the high FQY of iRFPs with two cysteines is a direct consequence of the double attachment. The PAS-Cys, GAF-Cys and double-Cys attachment each entails distinct configurational constraints of the BV adduct, which can be identified by distinct RR spectroscopic features, i.e. the marker band including the C=C stretching coordinate of the ring A-B methine bridge, which was previously identified as being characteristic for rigid chromophore embedment and high FQY. Our findings can be used to rationally engineer iRFP variants with enhanced FQYs.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Buhrke
- Institut für Chemie, Sekr. PC14, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
| | - Neslihan N Tavraz
- Institut für Chemie, Sekr. PC14, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
| | - Daria M Shcherbakova
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Luisa Sauthof
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Medical Physics and Biophysics (CC2), Group Protein X-ray Crystallography and Signal Transduction, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marcus Moldenhauer
- Institut für Chemie, Sekr. PC14, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
| | - Francisco Vélazquez Escobar
- Institut für Chemie, Sekr. PC14, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
| | - Vladislav V Verkhusha
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Peter Hildebrandt
- Institut für Chemie, Sekr. PC14, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Friedrich
- Institut für Chemie, Sekr. PC14, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany.
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39
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Heyes DJ, Hardman SJO, Pedersen MN, Woodhouse J, De La Mora E, Wulff M, Weik M, Cammarata M, Scrutton NS, Schirò G. Light-induced structural changes in a full-length cyanobacterial phytochrome probed by time-resolved X-ray scattering. Commun Biol 2019; 2:1. [PMID: 30740537 PMCID: PMC6318211 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-018-0242-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Phytochromes are photoreceptor proteins that transmit a light signal from a photosensory region to an output domain. Photoconversion involves protein conformational changes whose nature is not fully understood. Here, we use time-resolved X-ray scattering and optical spectroscopy to study the kinetics of structural changes in a full-length cyanobacterial phytochrome and in a truncated form with no output domain. X-ray and spectroscopic signals on the µs/ms timescale are largely independent of the presence of the output domain. On longer time-scales, large differences between the full-length and truncated proteins indicate the timeframe during which the structural transition is transmitted from the photosensory region to the output domain and represent a large quaternary motion. The suggested independence of the photosensory-region dynamics on the µs/ms timescale defines a time window in which the photoreaction can be characterized (e.g. for optogenetic design) independently of the nature of the engineered output domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derren J. Heyes
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, 131 Princess St, Manchester, M1 7DN UK
| | - Samantha J. O. Hardman
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, 131 Princess St, Manchester, M1 7DN UK
| | - Martin N. Pedersen
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38044 Grenoble, France
| | - Joyce Woodhouse
- Institut de Biologie Structurale, CNRS, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CEA, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38044 Grenoble, France
| | - Eugenio De La Mora
- Institut de Biologie Structurale, CNRS, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CEA, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38044 Grenoble, France
| | - Michael Wulff
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38044 Grenoble, France
| | - Martin Weik
- Institut de Biologie Structurale, CNRS, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CEA, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38044 Grenoble, France
| | - Marco Cammarata
- Univ. Rennes 1, CNRS, UBL, Institut de Physique de Rennes (IPR) - UMR 6251, 263 avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042 Rennes, France
| | - Nigel S. Scrutton
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, 131 Princess St, Manchester, M1 7DN UK
| | - Giorgio Schirò
- Institut de Biologie Structurale, CNRS, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CEA, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38044 Grenoble, France
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40
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Schmidt A, Sauthof L, Szczepek M, Lopez MF, Escobar FV, Qureshi BM, Michael N, Buhrke D, Stevens T, Kwiatkowski D, von Stetten D, Mroginski MA, Krauß N, Lamparter T, Hildebrandt P, Scheerer P. Structural snapshot of a bacterial phytochrome in its functional intermediate state. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4912. [PMID: 30464203 PMCID: PMC6249285 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07392-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Phytochromes are modular photoreceptors of plants, bacteria and fungi that use light as a source of information to regulate fundamental physiological processes. Interconversion between the active and inactive states is accomplished by a photoinduced reaction sequence which couples the sensor with the output module. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is yet not fully understood due to the lack of structural data of functionally relevant intermediate states. Here we report the crystal structure of a Meta-F intermediate state of an Agp2 variant from Agrobacterium fabrum. This intermediate, the identity of which was verified by resonance Raman spectroscopy, was formed by irradiation of the parent Pfr state and displays significant reorientations of almost all amino acids surrounding the chromophore. Structural comparisons allow identifying structural motifs that might serve as conformational switch for initiating the functional secondary structure change that is linked to the (de-)activation of these photoreceptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Schmidt
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Group Protein X-ray Crystallography and Signal Transduction, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, D-10117, Germany
| | - Luisa Sauthof
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Group Protein X-ray Crystallography and Signal Transduction, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, D-10117, Germany
| | - Michal Szczepek
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Group Protein X-ray Crystallography and Signal Transduction, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, D-10117, Germany
| | - Maria Fernandez Lopez
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Chemie, Sekr. PC 14, Straße des 17. Juni 135, Berlin, D-10623, Germany
| | - Francisco Velazquez Escobar
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Chemie, Sekr. PC 14, Straße des 17. Juni 135, Berlin, D-10623, Germany
| | - Bilal M Qureshi
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Group Protein X-ray Crystallography and Signal Transduction, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, D-10117, Germany
- Division of Biological & Environmental Sciences & Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Norbert Michael
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Chemie, Sekr. PC 14, Straße des 17. Juni 135, Berlin, D-10623, Germany
| | - David Buhrke
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Chemie, Sekr. PC 14, Straße des 17. Juni 135, Berlin, D-10623, Germany
| | - Tammo Stevens
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Group Protein X-ray Crystallography and Signal Transduction, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, D-10117, Germany
| | - Dennis Kwiatkowski
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Group Protein X-ray Crystallography and Signal Transduction, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, D-10117, Germany
| | - David von Stetten
- Structural Biology Group, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, CS 40220 F-38043, Grenoble Cedex 9, France
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg Outstation c/o DESY, Notkestrasse 85, Hamburg, D-22607, Germany
| | - Maria Andrea Mroginski
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Chemie, Sekr. PC 14, Straße des 17. Juni 135, Berlin, D-10623, Germany
| | - Norbert Krauß
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Botanical Institute, Fritz-Haber-Weg 4, Karlsruhe, D-76131, Germany
| | - Tilman Lamparter
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Botanical Institute, Fritz-Haber-Weg 4, Karlsruhe, D-76131, Germany
| | - Peter Hildebrandt
- Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Chemie, Sekr. PC 14, Straße des 17. Juni 135, Berlin, D-10623, Germany.
| | - Patrick Scheerer
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Group Protein X-ray Crystallography and Signal Transduction, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, D-10117, Germany.
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41
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Abstract
Signal transductions are the basis for all cellular functions. Previous studies investigating signal transductions mainly relied on pharmacological inhibition, RNA interference, and constitutive active/dominant negative protein expression systems. However, such studies do not allow the modulation of protein activity with high spatial and temporal precision in cells, tissues, and organs in animals. Recently, non-channelrhodopsin-type optogenetic tools for regulating signal transduction have emerged. These photoswitches address several disadvantages of previous techniques, and allow us to control a variety of signal transductions such as cell membrane dynamics, calcium signaling, lipid signaling, and apoptosis. In this review we summarize recent advances in the development of such photoswitches and in how these optotools are applied to signaling processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshibumi Ueda
- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan
- AMED-PRIME (Japan), Agency for Medical Research and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Moritoshi Sato
- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan
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42
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Inoue K, Nishihama R, Kohchi T. Evolutionary origin of phytochrome responses and signaling in land plants. Plant Cell Environ 2017; 40:2502-2508. [PMID: 28098347 DOI: 10.1111/pce.12908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Revised: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 01/06/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Phytochromes comprise one of the major photoreceptor families in plants, and they regulate many aspects of plant growth and development throughout the plant life cycle. A canonical land plant phytochrome originated in the common ancestor of streptophytes. Phytochromes have diversified in seed plants and some basal land plants because of lineage-specific gene duplications that occurred during the course of land plant evolution. Molecular genetic analyses using Arabidopsis thaliana suggested that there are two types of phytochromes in angiosperms, light-labile type I and light-stable type II, which have different signaling mechanisms and which regulate distinct responses. In basal land plants, little is known about molecular mechanisms of phytochrome signaling, although red light/far-red photoreversible physiological responses and the distribution of phytochrome genes are relatively well documented. Recent advances in molecular genetics using the moss Physcomitrella patens and the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha revealed that basal land plants show far-red-induced responses and that the establishment of phytochrome-mediated transcriptional regulation dates back to at least the common ancestor of land plants. In this review, we summarize our knowledge concerning functions of land plant phytochromes, especially in basal land plants, and discuss subfunctionalization/neofunctionalization of phytochrome signaling during the course of land plant evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Inoue
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Ryuichi Nishihama
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Takayuki Kohchi
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
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Viczián A, Klose C, Ádám É, Nagy F. New insights of red light-induced development. Plant Cell Environ 2017; 40:2457-2468. [PMID: 27943362 DOI: 10.1111/pce.12880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Revised: 12/04/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The red/far-red light absorbing photoreceptors phytochromes regulate development and growth and thus play an essential role in optimizing adaptation of the sessile plants to the ever-changing environment. Our understanding of how absorption of a red/far-red photon by phytochromes initiates/modifies diverse physiological responses has been steadily improving. Research performed in the last 5 years has been especially productive and led to significant conceptual changes about the mode of action of these photoreceptors. In this review, we focus on the phytochrome B photoreceptor, the major phytochrome species active in light-grown plants. We discuss how its light-independent inactivation (termed dark/thermal reversion), post-translational modification, including ubiquitination, phosphorylation and sumoylation, as well as heterodimerization with other phytochrome species modify red light-controlled physiological responses. Finally, we discuss how photobiological properties of phytochrome B enable this photoreceptor to function also as a thermosensor.
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Affiliation(s)
- András Viczián
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62, H-6726, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Cornelia Klose
- Institute of Biology2/Botany, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, D-79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Éva Ádám
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62, H-6726, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Nagy
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62, H-6726, Szeged, Hungary
- Institute of Molecular Plant Science, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3JH, UK
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Oliinyk OS, Chernov KG, Verkhusha VV. Bacterial Phytochromes, Cyanobacteriochromes and Allophycocyanins as a Source of Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probes. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:E1691. [PMID: 28771184 PMCID: PMC5578081 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18081691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 07/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial photoreceptors absorb light energy and transform it into intracellular signals that regulate metabolism. Bacterial phytochrome photoreceptors (BphPs), some cyanobacteriochromes (CBCRs) and allophycocyanins (APCs) possess the near-infrared (NIR) absorbance spectra that make them promising molecular templates to design NIR fluorescent proteins (FPs) and biosensors for studies in mammalian cells and whole animals. Here, we review structures, photochemical properties and molecular functions of several families of bacterial photoreceptors. We next analyze molecular evolution approaches to develop NIR FPs and biosensors. We then discuss phenotypes of current BphP-based NIR FPs and compare them with FPs derived from CBCRs and APCs. Lastly, we overview imaging applications of NIR FPs in live cells and in vivo. Our review provides guidelines for selection of existing NIR FPs, as well as engineering approaches to develop NIR FPs from the novel natural templates such as CBCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olena S Oliinyk
- Department of Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00290 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Konstantin G Chernov
- Department of Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00290 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Vladislav V Verkhusha
- Department of Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00290 Helsinki, Finland.
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, and Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
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Stepanenko OV, Stepanenko OV, Kuznetsova IM, Shcherbakova DM, Verkhusha VV, Turoverov KK. Interaction of Biliverdin Chromophore with Near-Infrared Fluorescent Protein BphP1-FP Engineered from Bacterial Phytochrome. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:E1009. [PMID: 28481303 PMCID: PMC5454922 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18051009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Revised: 04/30/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent proteins (FPs) designed from PAS (Per-ARNT-Sim repeats) and GAF (cGMP phosphodiesterase/adenylate cyclase/FhlA transcriptional activator) domains of bacterial phytochromes covalently bind biliverdin (BV) chromophore via one or two Cys residues. We studied BV interaction with a series of NIR FP variants derived from the recently reported BphP1-FP protein. The latter was engineered from a bacterial phytochrome RpBphP1, and has two reactive Cys residues (Cys15 in the PAS domain and Cys256 in the GAF domain), whereas its mutants contain single Cys residues either in the PAS domain or in the GAF domain, or no Cys residues. We characterized BphP1-FP and its mutants biochemically and spectroscopically in the absence and in the presence of denaturant. We found that all BphP1-FP variants are monomers. We revealed that spectral properties of the BphP1-FP variants containing either Cys15 or Cys256, or both, are determined by the covalently bound BV chromophore only. Consequently, this suggests an involvement of the inter-monomeric allosteric effects in the BV interaction with monomers in dimeric NIR FPs, such as iRFPs. Likely, insertion of the Cys15 residue, in addition to the Cys256 residue, in dimeric NIR FPs influences BV binding by promoting the BV chromophore covalent cross-linking to both PAS and GAF domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olesya V Stepanenko
- Laboratory of Structural Dynamics, Stability and Folding of Proteins, Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 4 Tikhoretsky ave., St. Petersburg 194064, Russian.
| | - Olga V Stepanenko
- Laboratory of Structural Dynamics, Stability and Folding of Proteins, Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 4 Tikhoretsky ave., St. Petersburg 194064, Russian.
| | - Irina M Kuznetsova
- Laboratory of Structural Dynamics, Stability and Folding of Proteins, Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 4 Tikhoretsky ave., St. Petersburg 194064, Russian.
- Department of Biophysics, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, 29 Polytechnicheskaya st., St. Petersburg 195251, Russian.
| | - Daria M Shcherbakova
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park ave., Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
| | - Vladislav V Verkhusha
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park ave., Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 8 Haartmaninkatu st., Helsinki 00290, Finland.
| | - Konstantin K Turoverov
- Laboratory of Structural Dynamics, Stability and Folding of Proteins, Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 4 Tikhoretsky ave., St. Petersburg 194064, Russian.
- Department of Biophysics, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, 29 Polytechnicheskaya st., St. Petersburg 195251, Russian.
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Wang C, Flanagan ML, McGillicuddy RD, Zheng H, Ginzburg AR, Yang X, Moffat K, Engel GS. Bacteriophytochrome Photoisomerization Proceeds Homogeneously Despite Heterogeneity in Ground State. Biophys J 2016; 111:2125-2134. [PMID: 27851937 PMCID: PMC5113153 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Revised: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Phytochromes are red/far-red photoreceptors that are widely distributed in plants and prokaryotes. Ultrafast photoisomerization of a double bond in a biliverdin cofactor or other linear tetrapyrrole drives their photoactivity, but their photodynamics are only partially understood. Multiexponential dynamics were observed in previous ultrafast spectroscopic studies and were attributed to heterogeneous populations of the pigment-protein complex. In this work, two-dimensional photon echo spectroscopy was applied to study dynamics of the bacteriophytochromes RpBphP2 and PaBphP. Two-dimensional photon echo spectroscopy can simultaneously resolve inhomogeneity in ensembles and fast dynamics by correlating pump wavelength with the emitted signal wavelength. The distribution of absorption and emission energies within the same state indicates an ensemble of heterogeneous protein environments that are spectroscopically distinct. However, the lifetimes of the dynamics are uniform across the ensemble, suggesting a homogeneous model involving sequential intermediates for the initial photodynamics of isomerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Wang
- Department of Chemistry, The James Franck Institute, Institute for Biophysical Dyanmics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Moira L Flanagan
- Graduate Program in Biophysical Science, The James Franck Institute, Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Ryan D McGillicuddy
- Department of Chemistry, The James Franck Institute, Institute for Biophysical Dyanmics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Haibin Zheng
- Department of Chemistry, The James Franck Institute, Institute for Biophysical Dyanmics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Alan Ruvim Ginzburg
- Department of Chemistry, The James Franck Institute, Institute for Biophysical Dyanmics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Xiaojing Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Keith Moffat
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Gregory S Engel
- Department of Chemistry, The James Franck Institute, Institute for Biophysical Dyanmics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.
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Shcherbakova DM, Baloban M, Pletnev S, Malashkevich VN, Xiao H, Dauter Z, Verkhusha VV. Molecular Basis of Spectral Diversity in Near-Infrared Phytochrome-Based Fluorescent Proteins. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 22:1540-1551. [PMID: 26590639 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2015.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2015] [Revised: 10/04/2015] [Accepted: 10/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Near-infrared fluorescent proteins (NIR FPs) engineered from bacterial phytochromes (BphPs) are the probes of choice for deep-tissue imaging. Detection of several processes requires spectrally distinct NIR FPs. We developed an NIR FP, BphP1-FP, which has the most blue-shifted spectra and the highest fluorescence quantum yield among BphP-derived FPs. We found that these properties result from the binding of the biliverdin chromophore to a cysteine residue in the GAF domain, unlike natural BphPs and other BphP-based FPs. To elucidate the molecular basis of the spectral shift, we applied biochemical, structural and mass spectrometry analyses and revealed the formation of unique chromophore species. Mutagenesis of NIR FPs of different origins indicated that the mechanism of the spectral shift is general and can be used to design multicolor NIR FPs from other BphPs. We applied pairs of spectrally distinct point cysteine mutants to multicolor cell labeling and demonstrated that they perform well in model deep-tissue imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria M Shcherbakova
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Mikhail Baloban
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Sergei Pletnev
- Macromolecular Crystallography Laboratory, Basic Research Program, National Cancer Institute and Leidos Biomedical Research Inc., Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | | | - Hui Xiao
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Zbigniew Dauter
- Macromolecular Crystallography Laboratory, Basic Research Program, National Cancer Institute and Leidos Biomedical Research Inc., Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - Vladislav V Verkhusha
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00029, Finland.
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Björling A, Berntsson O, Lehtivuori H, Takala H, Hughes AJ, Panman M, Hoernke M, Niebling S, Henry L, Henning R, Kosheleva I, Chukharev V, Tkachenko NV, Menzel A, Newby G, Khakhulin D, Wulff M, Ihalainen JA, Westenhoff S. Structural photoactivation of a full-length bacterial phytochrome. Sci Adv 2016; 2:e1600920. [PMID: 27536728 PMCID: PMC4982709 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1600920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Phytochromes are light sensor proteins found in plants, bacteria, and fungi. They function by converting a photon absorption event into a conformational signal that propagates from the chromophore through the entire protein. However, the structure of the photoactivated state and the conformational changes that lead to it are not known. We report time-resolved x-ray scattering of the full-length phytochrome from Deinococcus radiodurans on micro- and millisecond time scales. We identify a twist of the histidine kinase output domains with respect to the chromophore-binding domains as the dominant change between the photoactivated and resting states. The time-resolved data further show that the structural changes up to the microsecond time scales are small and localized in the chromophore-binding domains. The global structural change occurs within a few milliseconds, coinciding with the formation of the spectroscopic meta-Rc state. Our findings establish key elements of the signaling mechanism of full-length bacterial phytochromes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Heikki Takala
- University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
- University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Andreas Menzel
- Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Gemma Newby
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | | | - Michael Wulff
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 38000 Grenoble, France
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Nagano S. From photon to signal in phytochromes: similarities and differences between prokaryotic and plant phytochromes. J Plant Res 2016; 129:123-135. [PMID: 26818948 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-016-0789-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 01/03/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Phytochromes represent a diverse family of red/far-red-light absorbing chromoproteins which are widespread across plants, cyanobacteria, non-photosynthetic bacteria, and more. Phytochromes play key roles in regulating physiological activities in response to light, a critical element in the acclimatization to the environment. The discovery of prokaryotic phytochromes facilitated structural studies which deepened our understanding on the general mechanisms of phytochrome action. An extrapolation of this information to plant phytochromes is justified for universally conserved functional aspects, but it is also true that there are many aspects which are unique to plant phytochromes. Here I summarize some structural studies carried out to date on both prokaryotic and plant phytochromes. I also attempt to identify aspects which are common or unique to plant and prokaryotic phytochromes. Phytochrome themselves, as well as the downstream signaling pathway in plants are more complex than in their prokaryotic counterparts. Thus many structural and functional aspects of plant phytochrome remain unresolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soshichiro Nagano
- Institute for Plant Physiology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Senckenbergstrasse 3, 35390, Giessen, Germany.
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50
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Abstract
Plant photoreceptors link environmental light cues with physiological responses, determining how individual plants complete their life cycles. Structural and functional evolution of photoreceptors has co-occurred as plants diversified and faced the challenge of new light environments, during the transition of plants to land and as substantial plant canopies evolved. Large-scale comparative sequencing projects allow us for the first time to document photoreceptor evolution in understudied clades, revealing some surprises. Here we review recent progress in evolutionary studies of three photoreceptor families: phytochromes, phototropins and neochromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fay-Wei Li
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
- University Herbarium and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
| | - Sarah Mathews
- CSIRO National Research Collections Australia, Australian National Herbarium, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia.
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