The World of Algae Reveals a Broad Variety of Cryptochrome Properties and Functions

Petersen, J.; Rredhi, Anxhela; Szyttenholm, Julie; Oldemeyer, Sabine; Kottke, Tilman; Mittag, Maria

doi:10.3389/fpls.2021.766509

Cited by 34 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 94 publications

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“…Like plants, they typically generate energy from sunlight via photosynthesis, but they differ from plants in basic ways. One example is growing in fresh, brackish or sea water instead of on land, while another is absorbing nutrients from their substrate instead of via roots (Petersen et al, 2021). Some microalgae are seen as harmful, such as those that cause algal blooms which kill aquatic organisms (Shaw et al, 2003), while others can provide or serve as feedstocks for useful products like dyes, biofuels, or bioplastics.…”

Section: Agri-food Uses Of Microalgae As Possible Climate Response Ac...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Could microalgae offer promising options for climate action via their agri-food applications?

Siedenburg

2022

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

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In 2021 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued the first volume of its latest authoritative report on climate change. Underlining the seriousness of the situation, the United Nations Secretary-General branded its findings a “code red for humanity.” The need for climate action is now evident, but finding viable pathways forward can be elusive. Microalgae have been attracting attention as a category of “future food,” with species like Arthrospira platensis (spirulina) and Chlorella vulgaris (chlorella) seeing growing uptake by consumers while research interest continues to expand. One timely but neglected question is whether microalgae might offer options for promising climate actions via their agri-food applications. Specifically, might they offer scope to help secure food supplies, while also providing climate resilient livelihood pathways for vulnerable farmers already grappling with food insecurity and environmental degradation? This paper reports on a review of the academic literature on microalgae as an agri-food technology, notably their uses as a food, feed, biofertilizer, biostimulant, and biochar. This family of applications was found to offer promising climate actions vis-à-vis both mitigating and adapting to climate change. Aspects pertinent to adaptation include growing rapidly under controlled conditions, reusing water, providing potent nutrition for humans and animals, and supporting resilient crop production. Agri-food applications of microalgae also provide opportunities to mitigate climate change that could be explored. The paper concludes by flagging possible risks and obstacles as well as research and policy priorities to elaborate and harness this potential.

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Section: Agri-food Uses Of Microalgae As Possible Climate Response Ac...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Could microalgae offer promising options for climate action via their agri-food applications?

Siedenburg

2022

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

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“…However, spectral effects were also observed, indicating the capacity for chromo-acclimation. Although not directly measured here, photoreception in L. glaciale is likely mediated by blue-light-induced conformational changes to the C-terminus of cryptochrome receptors derived from DNA photolyases [48]. Other photoreceptor families such as phototropins and phytochromes do not appear to be present in red algae [49,50].…”

Section: Acclimatory Mechanisms To Mesophotic Light Spectramentioning

confidence: 79%

Red algae acclimate to low light by modifying phycobilisome composition to maintain efficient light harvesting

et al. 2022

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Background Despite a global prevalence of photosynthetic organisms in the ocean’s mesophotic zone (30–200+ m depth), the mechanisms that enable photosynthesis to proceed in this low light environment are poorly defined. Red coralline algae are the deepest known marine benthic macroalgae — here we investigated the light harvesting mechanism and mesophotic acclimatory response of the red coralline alga Lithothamnion glaciale. Results Following initial absorption by phycourobilin and phycoerythrobilin in phycoerythrin, energy was transferred from the phycobilisome to photosystems I and II within 120 ps. This enabled delivery of 94% of excitations to reaction centres. Low light intensity, and to a lesser extent a mesophotic spectrum, caused significant acclimatory change in chromophores and biliproteins, including a 10% increase in phycoerythrin light harvesting capacity and a 20% reduction in chlorophyll-a concentration and photon requirements for photosystems I and II. The rate of energy transfer remained consistent across experimental treatments, indicating an acclimatory response that maintains energy transfer. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that responsive light harvesting by phycobilisomes and photosystem functional acclimation are key to red algal success in the mesophotic zone.

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“…Given the absence of compatible BIC interaction residues in these green algae cryptochromes, it is unlikely that these species possess unidentified BIC homologues. In addition, the classical plant cryptochromes have only been found in some algal species [ 24 ]. As such, the ancestor of BICs most likely evolved in an ancient ancestor of land plants after a WGD event.…”

Section: Evolution Of Plant Cryptochrome Inhibitors — a Unique Regula...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Stop CRYing! Inhibition of cryptochrome function by small proteins

Kruusvee

Toft

Aguida³

et al. 2022

Biochemical Society Transactions

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Plants can detect the presence of light using specialised photoreceptor proteins. These photoreceptors measure the intensity of light, but they can also respond to different spectra of light and thus ‘see' different colours. Cryptochromes, which are also present in animals, are flavin-based photoreceptors that enable plants to detect blue and ultraviolet-A (UV-A) light. In Arabidopsis, there are two cryptochromes, CRYPTOCHROME 1 (CRY1) and CRYPTOCHROME 2 (CRY2) with known sensory roles. They function in various processes such as blue-light mediated inhibition of hypocotyl elongation, photoperiodic promotion of floral initiation, cotyledon expansion, anthocyanin production, and magnetoreception, to name a few. In the dark, the cryptochromes are in an inactive monomeric state and undergo photochemical and conformational change in response to illumination. This results in flavin reduction, oligomerisation, and the formation of the ‘cryptochrome complexome'. Mechanisms of cryptochrome activation and signalling have been extensively studied and found to be conserved across phylogenetic lines. In this review, we will therefore focus on a far lesser-known mechanism of regulation that is unique to plant cryptochromes. This involves inhibition of cryptochrome activity by small proteins that prevent its dimerisation in response to light. The resulting inhibition of function cause profound alterations in economically important traits such as plant growth, flowering, and fruit production. This review will describe the known mechanisms of cryptochrome activation and signalling in the context of their modulation by these endogenous and artificial small inhibitor proteins. Promising new applications for biotechnological and agricultural applications will be discussed.

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The World of Algae Reveals a Broad Variety of Cryptochrome Properties and Functions

Cited by 34 publications

References 94 publications

Could microalgae offer promising options for climate action via their agri-food applications?

Could microalgae offer promising options for climate action via their agri-food applications?

Red algae acclimate to low light by modifying phycobilisome composition to maintain efficient light harvesting

Stop CRYing! Inhibition of cryptochrome function by small proteins

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