Solution‐State <sup>15</sup>N NMR Spectroscopic Study of α‐C‐Phycocyanin: Implications for the Structure of the Chromophore‐Binding Pocket of the Cyanobacterial Phytochrome Cph1

144

Both thermally stable states of phytochrome, Pr and Pfr, have been studied by 13 C and 15 N cross-polarization (CP) magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR using cyanobacterial (Cph1) and plant (phyA) phytochrome sensory modules containing uniformly 13 C-and 15 N-labeled bilin chromophores. Two-dimensional homo-and heteronuclear experiments allowed most of the 13 C chemical shifts to be assigned in both states. Chemical shift differences reflect changes of the electronic structure of the cofactor at the atomic level as well as its interactions with the chromophore-binding pocket. The chromophore in cyanobacterial and plant phytochromes shows very similar features in the respective Pr and Pfr states. The data are interpreted in terms of a strengthened hydrogen bond at the ring D carbonyl. The red shift in the Pfr state is explained by the increasing length of the conjugation network beyond ring C including the entire ring D. Enhanced conjugation within the -system stabilizes the more tensed chromophore in the Pfr state. Concomitant changes at the ring C propionate carboxylate and the ring D carbonyl are explained by a loss of hydrogen bonding to Cph1-His-290 and transmittance of conformational changes to the ring C propionate via a water network. These and other conformational changes may lead to modified surface interactions, e.g., along the tongue region contacting the bilin chromophore.photomorphogenesis ͉ photoreceptors ͉ chromophore-protein interaction ͉ phycocyanobilin ͉ solid-state NMR

supporting

confidence: 77%

Light-induced chromophore activity and signal transduction in phytochromes observed by ¹³ C and ¹⁵ N magic-angle spinning NMR

Rohmer

Lang

Hughes

et al. 2008

144

“…RcaE thus combines bilin photoisomerization with a subsequent shift in the bilin pK a , using a protochromic triad of three key residues to drive the proton transfer that causes the shift between green and red absorption. Our results show that CBCRs need not share the behavior of phytochromes and phycobiliproteins, in which the bilin chromophore is always protonated under static conditions (10)(11)(12).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…This red/far-red photocycle is triggered by photoisomerization of the bilin 15,16-double bond between the 15Z and 15E configurations (7,8), with 15Z giving red absorption and 15E far-red absorption (4,6,9). In phytochromes, the conjugated π system of the bilin is protonated in both photostates, and this protonation is necessary to maintain the red and far-red absorption (10)(11)(12). Conserved GAF residues supply a hydrogen bond network to tune the chemical and spectral properties of the bilin (Fig.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Green/red cyanobacteriochromes regulate complementary chromatic acclimation via a protochromic photocycle

Hirose

Rockwell

Nishiyama

et al. 2013

153

265

Cyanobacteriochromes (CBCRs) are cyanobacterial members of the phytochrome superfamily of photosensors. Like phytochromes, CBCRs convert between two photostates by photoisomerization of a covalently bound linear tetrapyrrole (bilin) chromophore. Although phytochromes are red/far-red sensors, CBCRs exhibit diverse photocycles spanning the visible spectrum and the near-UV (330-680 nm). Two CBCR subfamilies detect near-UV to blue light (330-450 nm) via a "two-Cys photocycle" that couples bilin 15Z/15E photoisomerization with formation or elimination of a second bilincysteine adduct. On the other hand, mechanisms for tuning the absorption between the green and red regions of the spectrum have not been elucidated as of yet. CcaS and RcaE are members of a CBCR subfamily that regulates complementary chromatic acclimation, in which cyanobacteria optimize light-harvesting antennae in response to green or red ambient light. CcaS has been shown to undergo a green/red photocycle: reversible photoconversion between a green-absorbing 15Z state ( 15Z P g ) and a red-absorbing 15E state ( 15E P r ). We demonstrate that RcaE from Fremyella diplosiphon undergoes the same photocycle and exhibits light-regulated kinase activity. In both RcaE and CcaS, the bilin chromophore is deprotonated as 15Z P g but protonated as 15E P r . This change of bilin protonation state is modulated by three key residues that are conserved in green/red CBCRs. We therefore designate the photocycle of green/red CBCRs a "protochromic photocycle," in which the dramatic change from green to red absorption is not induced by initial bilin photoisomerization but by a subsequent change in bilin protonation state.light sensing | phycobiliprotein | signal transduction | spectral tuning | two-component signaling P hytochrome photosensors initially were discovered in plants and later found in cyanobacteria, nonoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria, nonphotosynthetic bacteria, fungi, and algae (1, 2). These photoreceptors bind linear tetrapyrrole (bilin) chromophores within a conserved GAF (cGMP phosphodiesterase/adenylyl cyclase/FhlA) domain via a covalent thioether linkage to a conserved Cys residue (Fig. S1A)(3-6). Upon illumination, phytochromes reversibly convert between a red-absorbing dark state and a far-red-absorbing photoproduct. This red/far-red photocycle is triggered by photoisomerization of the bilin 15,16-double bond between the 15Z and 15E configurations (7,8), with 15Z giving red absorption and 15E far-red absorption (4, 6, 9). In phytochromes, the conjugated π system of the bilin is protonated in both photostates, and this protonation is necessary to maintain the red and far-red absorption (10-12). Conserved GAF residues supply a hydrogen bond network to tune the chemical and spectral properties of the bilin (Fig. S1B).* Cyanobacteriochromes (CBCRs) are widespread cyanobacterial photosensors with phytochrome-related GAF domains (1,2,13,14). Although CBCRs also convert between two photostates via bilin photoisomerization at C15, they exhibit much more spe...

“…1C) (the datasets used exhibited minimal x-ray damage). Second, the R stereochemistry of the PCB chromophore (and of phytochromobilin used in plant phytochromes) precludes a thioether linkage to Cys-259 in ZZZasa because this residue and the vinyl of ring A would then be on opposite sides rather than adjacent to each other as required (29).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The structure of a complete phytochrome sensory module in the Pr ground state

Essen

Mailliet

Hughes

2008

371

681

Phytochromes are red/far-red photochromic biliprotein photoreceptors, which in plants regulate seed germination, stem extension, flowering time, and many other light effects. However, the structure/functional basis of the phytochrome photoswitch is still unclear. Here, we report the ground state structure of the complete sensory module of Cph1 phytochrome from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis 6803. Although the phycocyanobilin (PCB) chromophore is attached to Cys-259 as expected, paralleling the situation in plant phytochromes but contrasting to that in bacteriophytochromes, the ZZZssa conformation does not correspond to that expected from Raman spectroscopy. We show that the PHY domain, previously considered unique to phytochromes, is structurally a member of the GAF (cGMP phosphodiesterase/adenylyl cyclase/FhlA) family. Indeed, the tandem-GAF dumbbell revealed for phytochrome sensory modules is remarkably similar to the regulatory domains of cyclic nucleotide (cNMP) phosphodiesterases and adenylyl cyclases. A unique feature of the phytochrome structure is a long, tongue-like protrusion from the PHY domain that seals the chromophore pocket and stabilizes the photoactivated far-red-absorbing state (Pfr). The tongue carries a conserved PRxSF motif, from which an arginine finger points into the chromophore pocket close to ring D forming a salt bridge with a conserved aspartate residue. The structure that we present provides a framework for light-driven signal transmission in phytochromes.biliprotein ͉ photochromicity ͉ photoreceptor ͉ protein structure ͉ sensory histidine protein kinase