Light-induced structural changes of LOV domain-containing polypeptides from Arabidopsis phototropin 1 and 2 studied by small-angle X-ray scattering

Biochemistry. 2004 Nov 30;43(47):14881-90. doi: 10.1021/bi0485530.

Abstract

Phototropin is a blue-light receptor of plants and comprises two light-receptive domains, LOV1 and LOV2, Ser/Thr kinase domain and one linker region connecting the LOV2 and the kinase domains. The LOV2 domain is thought to regulate predominantly the light-dependent autophosphorylation of the kinase domain, leading to cellular signaling cascades. In this study, we constructed recombinant LOV1, LOV2, and LOV2-linker polypeptides from phototropin 1 and phototropin 2 of Arabidopsis thaliana and studied their quaternary structures and light-dependent conformational changes by small-angle X-ray scattering. The molecular weights of the polypeptides determined from scattering intensities demonstrated the dimeric associations of LOV1 polypeptides of both isoforms. In contrast, while LOV2 and LOV2-linker polypeptides of phototropin 1 were homodimers, corresponding polypeptides of phototropin 2 existed as monomeric forms. Under blue-light irradiation, the LOV2-linker polypeptide of phototropin 1 displayed small but definite changes of the scattering profile. Through simulation of low-resolution molecular structures, the changes were likely explained as structural changes of the linker region and/or a movement of the region relative to the LOV2 domain. Light-induced profile changes were not observed in the Cys(512)Ala mutated LOV2-linker polypeptide of phototropin 1 losing the phototransformation capability. Thus, it was indicated that the photoreaction in the LOV2 domain probably caused the structural changes in the LOV2-linker polypeptide of phototropin 1. On the basis of the results, the interdomain interactions in phototropin are discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alanine / metabolism
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Arabidopsis / chemistry*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / chemistry*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism
  • Computer Simulation
  • Cryptochromes
  • Cysteine / chemistry
  • Dimerization
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Flavoproteins / chemistry*
  • Flavoproteins / genetics
  • Flavoproteins / metabolism
  • Flavoproteins / radiation effects*
  • Kinetics
  • Light
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Weight
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Peptides / metabolism
  • Peptides / radiation effects
  • Photochemistry
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Isoforms / chemistry
  • Protein Isoforms / genetics
  • Protein Isoforms / metabolism
  • Protein Structure, Quaternary
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary / radiation effects*
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • CRY1 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Cryptochromes
  • Flavoproteins
  • Peptides
  • Protein Isoforms
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Cysteine
  • Alanine