Photosensory and signaling properties of cryptochromes
Abstract
The blue-light protein sensors cryptochromes compose the widespread class of photoreceptors that regulate processes of development in plants and circadian rhythms in animals and plants. These photoreceptors can also function as magnetoreceptors. During the last decade cryptochromes have been discovered and characterized in several photosynthetic algae, where they may act not only as regulatory photoreceptors, but also as photolyases catalyzing the repair of ultraviolet-induced DNA lesions. Cryptochrome proteins bind flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) as a chromophore in the photolyase homology region (PHR) domain and contain the cryptochrome C-terminal extension (CCE) which is joined to PHR near the FAD-binding site. The chromophore is responsible for photosensory properties of cryptochromes and CCE is essential for their signaling activities. Photosensory processes are initiated by photochemical FAD conversions involving electron/proton transfer and the formation of redox forms. These reactions lead to changes in chromophore–protein interactions. The resulting conformational transitions in protein structure provide the molecular foundation of cryptochrome signaling activity in living systems. In plants, cryptochrome protein with photoreduced FAD undergoes conformational changes causing disengagement of the PHR domain and CCE that is accompanied by the formation of functionally active dimers/tetramers of cryptochrome molecules. Photooligomerization is considered as a key process necessary for cryptochrome signaling activity, since oligomers provide the formation their complexes with variety proteins, the components of photoreceptor signaling pathways. Interactions cryptochrome–protein in such complexes changes the protein signaling activities leading to gene expression alteration and photomorphogenesis. In this review, current knowledge on photosensory and signaling properties of cryptochromes are discussed.
Keywords
Supporting agencies: This study was performed under the state assignment of Moscow State University, project number 121032500058-7.
About the Author
G. Ya. Fraikin
Department of Biophysics, Biological Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
1–12 Leninskie Gory, Moscow, 119234, Russia
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Review
For citations:
Fraikin G.Ya. Photosensory and signaling properties of cryptochromes. Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta. Seriya 16. Biologiya. 2022;77(2):65–75. (In Russ.)
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