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Light sensing and responses in marine microalgae.
Marianne Jaubert1, Jean-Pierre Bouly1, Maurizio Ribera d'Alcalà2
1Sorbonne Universités, UPMC, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biologie Computationnelle et Quantitative, 4, Place de Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France.
Current Opinion in Plant Biology
|April 30, 2017
Summary
Marine phytoplankton use sophisticated light sensors for ocean survival. Discoveries reveal new photoreceptor variants, expanding our understanding of algal light adaptation.
Area of Science:
- Marine biology
- Molecular biology
- Photochemistry
Background:
- Marine eukaryotic phytoplankton are crucial for global primary production.
- Phytoplankton possess light-regulated responses and acclimation for oceanic survival.
- Sophisticated photoregulatory mechanisms likely drive these adaptations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the diversity of photoreceptor-like sequences in marine microalgae.
- To understand the evolution and spectral tuning of algal photoreceptors.
- To re-evaluate photoregulatory mechanisms in diverse phototrophs.
Main Methods:
- Omics approaches to identify photoreceptor-like sequences.
- Comparative analysis of algal photoreceptors with known plant photoreceptors.
- Bioinformatic analysis of sequence variants and spectral properties.
Main Results:
- Numerous photoreceptor-like sequences identified in marine microalgae.
- Some algal photoreceptors show similarity to plant counterparts.
- Novel variants with altered spectral tuning and algal-specific sensors were discovered.
Conclusions:
- Marine microalgae exhibit diverse photoreceptor systems.
- These findings challenge existing views on photoreceptor evolution in phototrophs.
- Understanding these mechanisms is key to comprehending phytoplankton adaptation to varied light environments.
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