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Bacteriophytochromes Control Photosynthesis in Rhodopseudomonas palustris

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The Purple Phototrophic Bacteria

Part of the book series: Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration ((AIPH,volume 28))

Summary

The ability to endure and adapt to a broad array of environmental conditions is a feature of photosynthesizing organisms. This is particularly true of changing light conditions as acclimatization to light is of importance for energy utilization and for the prevention of radiation damage. The available light energy is influenced by several factors such as day/night cycles, shade, water depths, and competition from other photosynthesizing organisms. A more subtle effect is the availability of light in different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum which can influence the chromophores chosen by the photosynthetic organism, and the ways in which these are organized within chromophore-protein complexes. Strategies are available for responding to the presence of solar energy and for optimizing photon capture. In most cases the strategies begin with the initiation of an altered pattern of gene expression arising from light sensing mechanisms that repress or activate the expression of genes required for photosynthesis. A further fine tuning of gene expression, to suit particular light conditions, can achieve additional improvements in efficient utilization of solar energy. This can be as simple as an increase in the quantity of pigmented complexes, in response to altered light intensity, or structural changes to photosynthetic complexes that ensure efficient adaptation to an altered distribution of photon energies. Phytochromes are an important class of macromolecules that sense fluctuating light intensity and spectral quality to alter gene expression. They have been shown to be of central importance in plant acclimatization and in recent years bacterial homologs have been found. A number of bacteriophytochromes have been discovered in the phototrophic non-sulfur purple bacterium Rhodopseudomonas (Rps.) palustris that are involved in the control of photosynthesis and which provide insights into how this organism adapts to light in its environment.

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Abbreviations

Bph:

bacteriophytochrome

BrbphP:

Bradyrhizobium ORS278 bacteriophytochrome

BV:

biliverdin IXα

CA:

catalytic ATPase kinase domain

CBD:

chromophore binding domain

Cph:

cyanobacterial phytochrome

D. :

Deinococcus

Dhp:

dimerization and histidine phosphotransfer domain

FR:

far-red

GAF:

cGMP phosphodiesterases/adenylyl cyclases/bacterial transcription factor FhlA domain

LH:

light-harvesting complex

LH2:

light-harvesting complex 2

LH4:

light-harvesting complex 4

Lx:

lux, luminous flux on a surface area (lumen/m2)

PAS:

period protein (PER)/aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator protein (ARNT)/ single-minded protein (SIM) domains

PCB:

phycocyanobilin

Pfr:

far-red absorbing phytochrome

PHY domain:

phytochrome domain

Pr:

red absorbing phytochrome

PYP:

photoactive yellow protein

PΦB:

phytochromobilin

R:

red

RC-LH1:

reaction center — LH 1 core complex

Rps. :

Rhodopseudomonas

RR:

response regulator

SAXS:

small angle X-ray scattering

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Daresbury Laboratory, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus, Warrington, Cheshire, WA4 4AD, UK

    Katie Evans, Toni Georgiou, Theresa Hillon, Anthony Fordham-Skelton & Miroslav Papiz

Authors
  1. Katie Evans
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  2. Toni Georgiou
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  3. Theresa Hillon
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  4. Anthony Fordham-Skelton
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  5. Miroslav Papiz
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Miroslav Papiz .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Sheffield, UK

    C. Neil Hunter

  2. University of Pennsylvania, USA

    Fevzi Daldal

  3. Argonne National Laboratory, USA

    Marion C. Thurnauer

  4. University of British Columbia, Canada

    J. Thomas Beatty

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Evans, K., Georgiou, T., Hillon, T., Fordham-Skelton, A., Papiz, M. (2009). Bacteriophytochromes Control Photosynthesis in Rhodopseudomonas palustris . In: Hunter, C.N., Daldal, F., Thurnauer, M.C., Beatty, J.T. (eds) The Purple Phototrophic Bacteria. Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration, vol 28. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8815-5_40

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