Themed collection Blue-light photoreceptors

Soluble blue-light photoreceptors have evolved throughout the three domains of life. Signaling relies on intra- and interdomain propagation of light-triggered conformational changes. Novel blue-light sensors have potential for selected biotechnological applications.

This perspective summarizes the advantages and limitations of a novel class of cyan-green fluorescent flavoproteins that are based on LOV photoreceptors in comparison to members of the GFP family. Further, some correlated consequences for the use of different fluorescent proteins as in vivo reporters are discussed.

The Orange Carotenoid Protein is blue-light photoactive protein involved in a cyanobacteria photoprotective mechanism. It is the first identified photoactive protein containing a carotenoid as the photoresponsive chromophore.

The photochemical reaction of the LOV1 (light-oxygen-voltage 1) domain of phototropin 1 from Arabidopsis thaliana was investigated by the time-resolved transient grating method.

Photoreaction of a blue light sensor TePixD decamer is identified to be the dissociation reaction into the pentamer. It was found that the diffusion coefficient of the pentamer is anomalously small.

In recent years it has become increasingly evident that prokaryotic organisms can sense and react to light stimuli via a variety of photosensory receptors and signal transduction pathways.

Photoactivation of Avena sativa Phot1 LOV2 triggers the dissociation of a large C-terminal alpha helix. We show that rotamerization of a single residue in the chromophore binding site propagates through two parallel pathways to destabilize the helical interface.