Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Lukas Goett-Zink, Eileen Baum, Tilman Kottke
Summary: Aureochromes are LOV proteins in algae, functioning as blue-light receptors and transcription factors. The LOV domain recognizes blue-light, while the bZIP domain binds DNA. The mechanism of signal progression from LOV to bZIP is still unclear, but time-resolved techniques have revealed insights into aureochrome signaling.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Haodong Luo, Wanying Ma, Hao Fang, Zidong Liu, Syed Shabi Ul Hassan Kazmi, Yanmei Fan, Zhen Wang, Xiaojuan Liu
Summary: In this study, bZIP transcription factors (TFs) in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum (Pt) were analyzed using bioinformatic and molecular methods. Twenty-two PtbZIP genes were identified and classified into seven clades based on phylogenetic relationships, conserved motifs, and gene structures. Among them, PtbZIP12 and PtbZIP13 were identified as a putative pair of duplicated genes. It was also observed that laminarin content showed a circadian rhythm. Based on these findings, a regulatory mechanism for laminarin biosynthesis was proposed in P. tricornutum.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Lin Yue, Xinxin Pei, Fanjiang Kong, Lin Zhao, Xiaoya Lin
Summary: Soybean (Glycine max) is a key crop for protein and oil production. The bZIP transcription factors in soybean play important roles in various regulatory pathways, such as yield improvement, stress response, environmental signaling, and carbon-nitrogen balance. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of the soybean bZIP family, including its members and classification, and offers valuable insights for future research on bZIP transcription factors and genetic resources for soybean breeding.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ruyi Xiao, Yan Sun, Shu Yang, Yixiao Yang, Donghao Wang, Zhezhi Wang, Wen Zhou
Summary: Basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors are important for plant growth, development, and stress responses. This study identified and analyzed the bZIP gene family in Hypericum perforatum, a popular herbal medicine used for depression treatment. The results revealed the functional role of HpbZIP69 and its involvement in drought tolerance in plants.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Huan Han, Caini Wang, Xiaoyan Yang, Lina Wang, Jiabao Ye, Feng Xu, Yongling Liao, Weiwei Zhang
Summary: This study provides an overview of the structure, classification, regulatory mechanisms, and biological functions of basic leucine zipper transcription factors (bZIPs) and their molecular mechanisms in the biosynthesis of various secondary metabolites. bZIPs are highly conserved transcription factors in eukaryotic organisms and play crucial roles in plant growth and development, stress response, and secondary metabolism. The paper elaborates on the structure, classification, biological function, and regulatory mechanisms of bZIPs, as well as their molecular mechanisms in regulating the biosynthesis of flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, phenolic acids, and lignin. This review is significant for understanding the molecular mechanisms of bZIPs in secondary metabolite synthesis and plant molecular breeding.
Article
Plant Sciences
Qi Wang, Cun Guo, Zhiyuan Li, Jinhao Sun, Dong Wang, Liangtao Xu, Xiaoxu Li, Yongfeng Guo
Summary: In this study, 49 bZIP transcription factor-encoding genes were identified and analyzed on the potato genome. These genes were found to be located on 12 chromosomes of the potato genome, displaying functional diversity. Syntenic analysis revealed gene duplication events that contribute to the expansion of the bZIP gene family in potato.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Shuaike Niu, Xiangyang Gu, Qian Zhang, Xuemin Tian, Zhan Chen, Jingru Liu, Xiaoju Wei, Chengxiang Yan, Ziwen Liu, Xiaoji Wang, Zhengge Zhu
Summary: In this study, a gene called VvANN1 was characterized, which was found to play a positive role in the response to drought stress. VvANN1 was induced by osmotic stress and enhanced tolerance to osmotic and drought stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. It was also discovered that VvbZIP45 can regulate VvANN1 expression by binding to its promoter region under drought stress. These findings are important for understanding the mechanisms of grapevine adaptation to drought.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Pina Marotta, Federica Salatiello, Luca Ambrosino, Federica Berruto, Maria Luisa Chiusano, Annamaria Locascio
Summary: The AP-1 transcription factor family is composed of Jun, Fos, Atf3, Atf2/7, and Maf in the tunicate Ciona robusta, where they are mainly expressed in mesenchyme cells during embryonic development, with Fos also showing expression in notochord and neural cells. By ectopic expression in transgenic embryos, the study confirmed functional conservation of the AP-1 complex between Ciona and vertebrates in controlling cell movements and structural organization.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Shuling Shen, Xiaoli Hu, Jiao Cheng, Lichuan Lou, Chen Huan, Xiaolin Zheng
Summary: Taoxingli plum, a characteristic fruit in Shengzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, is popular for its vibrant color and high nutrition. The expression of five PsbZIPs, bZIP1, 2, 3, 4, 10, was enhanced by 100μM methyl salicylate (MeSA), leading to increased activities of PsANS and PsUFGT, as well as anthocyanin content. PsbZIP1 and PsbZIP10 were found to directly bind to the PsUFGT promoter via the G-box motif, triggering anthocyanin synthesis in Taoxingli plum fruit after MeSA treatment.
POSTHARVEST BIOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Peipei An, Xiang Li, Tianxiang Liu, Zhijie Shui, Mingxun Chen, Xin Gao, Zhonghua Wang
Summary: This study evaluated the salt tolerance of 17 local species of broomcorn millet and found that PmABI5 can directly regulate seed germination and seedling growth, improving the salt tolerance of plants by forming heterodimers with PmbZIP131.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ping Li, Tangchun Zheng, Lulu Li, Jia Wang, Tangren Cheng, Qixiang Zhang
Summary: Prunus mume is an important woody plant widely used in landscape architecture in East Asia. In this study, the bZIP transcription factors in P. mume were systematically studied for the first time. A detailed model of the PmbZIP domains was constructed, and phylogenetic and synteny analyses revealed possible duplication events. Gene expression patterns and responses to freezing stress were analyzed, providing valuable resources for future molecular breeding of cold/freezing-tolerant P. mume varieties.
HORTICULTURAL PLANT JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hong Fang, Fan Zhang, Chongyang Zhang, Dan Wang, Shuangqian Shen, Feng He, Hui Tao, Ruyi Wang, Min Wang, Debao Wang, Xionglun Liu, Jie Luo, Guo-Liang Wang, Yuese Ning
Summary: This study reveals the regulatory role of APIP5 in multiple hydroxycinnamoyl transferase genes and further demonstrates their importance in rice immunity.
JOURNAL OF GENETICS AND GENOMICS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yukun Wu, Pengyan Zhang, Zhourui Liang, Yanmin Yuan, Maohong Duan, Yi Liu, Di Zhang, Fuli Liu
Summary: This study systematically identified and analyzed the AUREO gene family in seven representative brown algae, revealing the differential expression of AUREO during the development of S. japonica and the potential mechanism of light signal transduction.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Madhurima Khamaru, Deep Nath, Devrani Mitra, Soumen Roy
Summary: Aureochromes are blue light-responsive photoreceptors and transcription factors found exclusively in photosynthetic marine stramenopiles. This study focuses on aureochromes from Ectocarpus siliculosus and investigates their role in light-regulated developmental responses. The study also explores the compatibility of dimerization partners and evaluates the stability of the dimers using various methods from bioinformatics, network science, and information theory.
CELLS TISSUES ORGANS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Anhu Wang, Yu Liu, Qiujie Li, Xiaoyi Li, Xinrong Zhang, Jiao Kong, Zhibing Liu, Yi Yang, Jianmei Wang
Summary: This study describes a wild population of drought-tolerant Fagopyrum leptopodum and its potential for enhancing drought tolerance in cultivated buckwheat. The researchers found that by modulating the expression of a specific gene and flavonoid contents, they can improve drought tolerance in buckwheat.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Pascal Fandrich, Lars Wiehemeier, Maxim Dirksen, Oliver Wrede, Tilman Kottke, Thomas Hellweg
Summary: In this study, a continuous flow reactor coupled with in situ monitoring of monomer conversion was utilized for the precipitation polymerization of thermoresponsive microgels. The reaction progress was monitored using in situ FTIR spectroscopy, and the monomer conversion was determined by analyzing absorbance spectra. Differences between inline conversion kinetics and offline growth kinetics were discussed, highlighting the importance of mixing in precipitation polymerizations.
COLLOID AND POLYMER SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Estella F. Yee, Sabine Oldemeyer, Elena Boehm, Abir Ganguly, Darrin M. York, Tilman Kottke, Brian R. Crane
Summary: Proton-coupled electron transfer reactions are critical in sensory phototransduction, especially in flavoprotein light sensors. The mechanism of flavin photoreduction and protonation in a biologically active variant of the LOV domain protein VVD has been studied, revealing the roles of specific amino acid residues such as tyrosine and methionine in charge recombination and radical propagation. Surface residue substitutions can influence the formation of different flavin photoreduction products, with implications for the sensitivity to oxidants and the redox environment.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Lukas Goett-Zink, Anna Lena Toschke, Jan Petersen, Maria Mittag, Tilman Kottke
Summary: Plant cryptochromes serve as key blue light receptors in land plants and algae, and their activation pathway involves the dissociation of the C-terminal extension (CCT) after flavin photoreduction. By studying the response of pCRY using ICIRD spectroscopy, researchers found that binding of cellular ATP stabilizes the photoproduct and causes beta-sheet reorganization. Comparison between full-length pCRY and PHR responses revealed the association of CCT close to the only beta-sheet of PHR in the dark, providing insight into the activation mechanism of plant cryptochromes.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Yvonne Hannappel, Lars Wiehemeier, Maxim Dirksen, Tilman Kottke, Thomas Hellweg
Summary: Smart responsive microgels were synthesized using a series of alternative monomers in this study, and their swelling behavior was analyzed through spectroscopy, showing linear changes in volume phase transition temperatures with microgel composition. These systems offer a wide range of transition temperatures, making them potentially attractive for applications in sensing, actuation, and drug delivery.
MACROMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jochen M. Buck, Peter G. Kroth, Bernard Lepetit
Summary: Photosynthetic organisms have evolved various photoprotective mechanisms to prevent high light-induced photodamage, among which energy-dependent fluorescence quenching (qE) serves as a rapid way to dissipate excess absorbed energy. Diatoms, as important primary producers, utilize Lhcx proteins and the xanthophyll cycle pigment diatoxanthin to provide qE. By studying the mechanisms of qE in diatoms, it was found that specific amino acids and peptide motifs play crucial roles in conferring qE, with a tryptophan residue identified as having a major influence on qE establishment. This structural explanation sheds light on the intimate link between Lhcx proteins and diatoxanthin in providing qE in diatoms.
Review
Plant Sciences
Jan Petersen, Anxhela Rredhi, Julie Szyttenholm, Sabine Oldemeyer, Tilman Kottke, Maria Mittag
Summary: Algae are photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms that lack typical plant structures and contribute significantly to global carbon fixation. Light is crucial for their fitness, but excess light, especially in the ultraviolet range, can be harmful. Cryptochromes, originally evolved as UV-A and blue-light receptors, show remarkably diverse properties and functions among different algal species.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lukas Goett-Zink, Tilman Kottke
Summary: Plant cryptochromes are essential for plant development, with a unique structure and activation mechanism. Spectroscopic techniques provide insights into the photochemical reactions and signaling pathways of plant cryptochromes. Comparing with other cryptochrome subfamilies helps reveal the distinctive features and factors affecting plant cryptochromes.
FRONTIERS IN CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Guilan Yu, Kensuke Nakajima, Ansgar Gruber, Carolina Rio Bartulos, Alexander F. Schober, Bernard Lepetit, Elizabeth Yohannes, Yusuke Matsuda, Peter G. Kroth
Summary: The presence of biochemical CO2 concentrating mechanisms in diatoms, particularly involving the mitochondrial PEPC2, suggests the common occurrence of these mechanisms in diatoms.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Lennard Karsten, Lukas Goett-Zink, Julian Schmitz, Raimund Hoffrogge, Alexander Grunberger, Tilman Kottke, Kristian M. Muller
Summary: In this study, ratiometric pH sensors with high dynamic ranges and dual-emission properties were developed for monitoring intra- and extracellular pH. These sensors can be applied in live-cell fluorescence microscopy and ratiometric flow cytometry to track pH changes in cells and culture chambers. The sensors also offer the potential to determine internalization rates, a promising parameter for characterizing protein-drug conjugates in cancer therapy.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Peter G. Kroth
Article
Ecology
Norico Yamada, Bernard Lepetit, David G. Mann, Brittany N. Sprecher, Jochen M. Buck, Paavo Bergmann, Peter G. Kroth, John J. Bolton, Przemyslaw Dabek, Andrzej Witkowski, So-Yeon Kim, Rosa Trobajo
Summary: Dinotoms, belonging to the family Kryptoperidiniaceae, have diatom-derived endosymbionts and go through three evolutionary stages. D. capensis is able to use various diatom species as kleptoplastids and exhibits different photosynthetic capacities depending on the diatom species. The ability of D. capensis to ingest supplemental diatoms as kleptoplastids may be a flexible strategy to use these diatoms as emergency supplies.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Pascal Fandrich, Marco Annegarn, Lars Wiehemeier, Ina Ehring, Tilman Kottke, Thomas Hellweg
Summary: In this study, core-shell microgels based on NiPMAM core and NnPAM shell were synthesized in a continuous flow reactor. The formation mechanism of the shell was investigated and it was found that the growth of the shell depends on the residence time of the solution inside the reactor. The volume phase transition temperatures of the core and the shell decreased significantly with increasing residence time.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Moona Kurttila, Brigitte Stucki-Buchli, Jessica Rumfeldt, Lea Schroeder, Heikki Haekkaenen, Alli Liukkonen, Heikki Takala, Tilman Kottke, Janne A. Ihalainen
Summary: The study examines the site-specific signal propagation in photosensory proteins using unnatural amino acid labels. The research demonstrates that structural changes in different locations within the photosensory unit exhibit varying response rates and behaviors.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Johannes Bookhold, Maxim Dirksen, Lars Wiehemeier, Sebastian Knust, Dario Anselmetti, Florian Paneff, Xianghui Zhang, Armin Goelzhaeuser, Tilman Kottke, Thomas Hellweg
Summary: Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM) based copolymer microgels were used to create free-standing, transferable, thermoresponsive membranes, which exhibited significant changes in ion transport through them at different temperatures.
Article
Biology
Lukas Goett-Zink, Jessica L. Klocke, Tilman Kottke
Summary: In-cell spectroscopic techniques have been developed to investigate protein structure and mechanism in their native environment, with the cellular environment affecting protein mechanism. ICIRD spectroscopy allows for the study of structural changes of soluble photoreceptors in a near-native environment, without limitations in protein size or the need for purification steps.