Issue 11, 2020

Tips and turns of bacteriophytochrome photoactivation

Abstract

Phytochromes are ubiquitous photosensor proteins, which control the growth, reproduction and movement in plants, fungi and bacteria. Phytochromes switch between two photophysical states depending on the light conditions. In analogy to molecular machines, light absorption induces a series of structural changes that are transduced from the bilin chromophore, through the protein, and to the output domains. Recent progress towards understanding this structural mechanism of signal transduction has been manifold. We describe this progress with a focus on bacteriophytochromes. We describe the mechanism along three structural tiers, which are the chromophore-binding pocket, the photosensory module, and the output domains. We discuss possible interconnections between the tiers and conclude by presenting future directions and open questions. We hope that this review may serve as a compendium to guide future structural and spectroscopic studies designed to understand structural signaling in phytochromes.

Graphical abstract: Tips and turns of bacteriophytochrome photoactivation

Article information

Article type
Perspective
Submitted
27 mar 2020
Accepted
04 set 2020
First published
27 out 2020
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 2020,19, 1488-1510

Tips and turns of bacteriophytochrome photoactivation

H. Takala, P. Edlund, J. A. Ihalainen and S. Westenhoff, Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 2020, 19, 1488 DOI: 10.1039/D0PP00117A

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