title: Phytochrome: structural basis for its functions.
abstract: Phytochrome mediates various physiological as well as developmental responses to light stimuli in plants. Phytochrome is a soluble chromoprotein consisting of the N-terminal photosensory and C-terminal dimerization moieties. Close homologues of plant phytochromes are widely found in prokaryotes. Recently, the crystal structures of the core photosensory module of bacterial phytochromes are resolved. Intriguingly, three sub-domains (PAS, GAF and PHY) in the module are connected by unusual structures named 'light-sensing knot' and 'tongue', which are in tight contact with the chromophore. These findings enable us to review previous data on the structure-function relationships in phytochrome. Consequently, functional importance of these peculiar structures is further highlighted. Thus, the three-dimensional structure provides a framework for understanding how phytochrome processes the light signals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan. nagatani@physiol.bot.kyoto-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagatani
mesh_terms: D008027:Light; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010834:Phytochrome / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D054730:Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D010834:Phytochrome