Phytochrome proteins guide the red/far-red photoresponse of plants, fungi, and bacteria. The proteins change their structure in response to light, thereby altering their biochemical activity. Crystal structures suggest that the mechanism of signal transduction involves refolding of the so-called PHY tongue, but the two other notable structural features of the phytochrome superfamily, the helical spine and a figure-ofeight knot, have not been implied in the signaling mechanism. Here, we present solution NMR data of the complete photosensory core module from D. radiodurans (Dr BphP).
Photoswitching between the resting and active states induces changes in amide chemicalshifts, residual dipolar couplings, and relaxation dynamics. All observables indicate a photoinduced structural change in the knot region and lower part of the helical spine.Supported by functional studies of plant phytochromes, the new mechanism explains how the conformational signal is directed through the protein to the signaling spine.The new pathway explains photo-sensing by phytochromes with atomic precision under biological conditions.Phytochromes are universal photoreceptors found in plants, fungi, and various microorganisms. 1 They detect red and far-red light, thereby controlling many aspects of growth, development, and movement. The functions range from phototaxis and pigmentation in bacteria to seed germination, shade avoidance and flowering in higher plants. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Phytochromes work by switching between two photochemical states. In prototypical phytochromes, the resting state absorbs red light (Pr state), and the activated state absorbs far-red light (Pfr state).The proteins can be reversibly switched between the states with red light (Pr→Pfr) and farred light (Pfr→Pr). Phytochromes are important for life, since they ensure that microbes and vegetation can adapt to light and thrive on earth.Similar to other signaling proteins, 9,10 phytochromes are modular proteins. They are divided into three groups according to the domain architecture. Group I phytochromes share a highly conserved photosensory module consisting of the domains PAS-GAF-PHY (Per/Arndt/Sim-cGMP phosphodiesterase/adenyl cyclase/Fh1A-phytochrome specific). 11,12 Plant, fungal and bacterial phytochromes belong to this group. The photosensory module of the cyanobacterial group II and III phytochromes consist of GAF-PHY and GAF, respectively. 13 A covalently linked bilin chromophore (biliverdin in bacterial phytochromes) is attached via a thioether linkage to a conserved cysteine in the GAF domain (cyanobacteria and plants) or PAS domain (bacteria). 11 Output domains vary and can consists of a C-terminal histidine kinase in bacteria, so-called N-terminal extensions, and C-terminal PAS domains connected to a kinase-like domain in plants and fungi. 12 Phytochromes are usually homodimers.The photosensory module of phytochromes contains three characteristic structural elements. These are a conserved loop region in the PHY domain, called "tongue" (residue 444-476, grou...