Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Synteny and Evolution02:31

Synteny and Evolution

3.9K
John H. Renwick first coined the term “synteny” in 1971, which refers to the genes present on the same chromosomes, even if they are not genetically linked. The species with common ancestry tend to show conserved syntenic regions. Therefore, the concept of synteny is nowadays used to describe the evolutionary relationship between species.
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral...
3.9K
Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons02:54

Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons

7.1K
Genome comparison is one of the excellent ways to interpret the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The basic principle of genome comparison is that if two species share a common feature, it is likely encoded by the DNA sequence conserved between both species. The advent of genome sequencing technologies in the late 20th century enabled scientists to understand the concept of conservation of domains between species and helped them to deduce evolutionary relationships across diverse...
7.1K
Channel Rhodopsins01:11

Channel Rhodopsins

3.3K
Most organisms use photoreceptors to sense and respond to light. Examples of photoreceptors include bacteriorhodopsins and bacteriophytochromes in some bacteria, phytochromes in plants, and rhodopsins in the photoreceptor cells of the vertebral retina. The light-sensitive property of these receptors is because of the bound chromophores, such as bilin in the phytochromes and retinal in the rhodopsins.
Rhodopsins belong to the family of cell surface proteins called G-protein coupled receptors,...
3.3K
Lampbrush Chromosomes01:51

Lampbrush Chromosomes

8.8K
In 1882, Flemming observed lampbrush chromosomes (LBC) in salamander eggs. Later in 1892, Rückert observed LBCs in shark egg cells and coined the term "lampbrush chromosomes" because they looked like brushes used to clean kerosene lamps.
LBCs are made up of two pairs of conjugating homologous chromatids. Each chromatid consists of alternatively positioned regions of condensed-inactive chromatin and loosely placed-active side loops, which can be contracted and extended. The loops...
8.8K
Exon Recombination02:32

Exon Recombination

4.2K
The evolution of new genes is critical for speciation. Exon recombination, also known as exon shuffling or domain shuffling, is an important means of new gene formation. It is observed across vertebrates, invertebrates, and in some plants such as potatoes and sunflowers. During exon recombination, exons from the same or different genes recombine and produce new exon-intron combinations, which might evolve into new genes. 
Exon shuffling follows “splice frame rules.” Each exon...
4.2K
Gene Duplication and Divergence02:37

Gene Duplication and Divergence

8.1K
The seminal work of Ohno in 1970 popularized the idea of gene duplication and divergence. DNA sequence comparison studies reveal that a large portion of the genes in bacteria, archaebacteria, and eukaryotes was  generated by gene duplication and divergence, indicating its critical role in evolution.
The duplicated copies of the gene are called Paralogs. Paralogs with similar sequences and functions form a gene family. Across several species, a large number of gene families are...
8.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Exploring the Adoption of Mobile Health Apps Among Patients with Head and Neck Cancer After the COVID-19 Pandemic: Secondary Analysis of Cross-Sectional Survey.

JMIR cancer·2026
Same author

Neurodevelopmental Disorder with Dystonia and Chorea Linked to De Novo Variants in the Splicing Regulator SRRM4.

Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society·2026
Same author

Optimized precision oncology through implementation of a comprehensive molecular analysis pipeline - relevance for additional therapeutic options.

Cancer genetics·2026
Same author

Partial Conversion of an Animal-Like Cryptochrome into a Plant Cryptochrome.

The journal of physical chemistry. B·2026
Same author

Heavy is the Crown: Crown Ether Modulation of Cobalt Porphyrin CO<sub>2</sub> Electroreduction in Zero-Gap Electrolyzers.

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)·2026
Same author

Immediate Effects of a Novel Ankle Brace on Postural Stability Compared With Contemporary Braces: A Laboratory-Based Crossover Study With Ambulatory Older Adults.

Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 24, 2026

Creating and Applying a Reference to Facilitate the Discussion and Classification of Proteins in a Diverse Group
07:49

Creating and Applying a Reference to Facilitate the Discussion and Classification of Proteins in a Diverse Group

Published on: August 16, 2017

7.5K

An update on aureochromes: Phylogeny - mechanism - function.

Peter G Kroth1, Christian Wilhelm2, Tilman Kottke3

  • 1Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany.

Journal of Plant Physiology
|August 12, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Algae use unique blue light photoreceptors called aureochromes to control gene expression. These light-driven transcription factors are crucial for algae to adapt to changing light conditions and regulate growth.

Keywords:
AureochromeDiatomLOVStructureTranscription factorbZIP

More Related Videos

A Bioinformatics Pipeline for Investigating Molecular Evolution and Gene Expression using RNA-seq
07:09

A Bioinformatics Pipeline for Investigating Molecular Evolution and Gene Expression using RNA-seq

Published on: May 28, 2021

10.6K
Expression of Fluorescent Proteins in Branchiostoma lanceolatum by mRNA Injection into Unfertilized Oocytes
09:31

Expression of Fluorescent Proteins in Branchiostoma lanceolatum by mRNA Injection into Unfertilized Oocytes

Published on: January 12, 2015

11.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 24, 2026

Creating and Applying a Reference to Facilitate the Discussion and Classification of Proteins in a Diverse Group
07:49

Creating and Applying a Reference to Facilitate the Discussion and Classification of Proteins in a Diverse Group

Published on: August 16, 2017

7.5K
A Bioinformatics Pipeline for Investigating Molecular Evolution and Gene Expression using RNA-seq
07:09

A Bioinformatics Pipeline for Investigating Molecular Evolution and Gene Expression using RNA-seq

Published on: May 28, 2021

10.6K
Expression of Fluorescent Proteins in Branchiostoma lanceolatum by mRNA Injection into Unfertilized Oocytes
09:31

Expression of Fluorescent Proteins in Branchiostoma lanceolatum by mRNA Injection into Unfertilized Oocytes

Published on: January 12, 2015

11.5K

Area of Science:

  • Photosynthesis and Photoreception in Algae
  • Molecular Biology of Light Sensing

Background:

  • Algae utilize photosystems and specific photoreceptors to process light information.
  • Aureochromes, a novel class of blue light photoreceptors, were identified in the xanthophyte alga Vaucheria frigida.
  • These photoreceptors contain a light-oxygen-voltage (LOV) domain and a DNA-binding basic region leucine zipper (bZIP) domain, functioning as light-driven transcription factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mechanism of aureochromes, a unique class of blue light photoreceptors found in algae.
  • To understand the allosteric communication between LOV and bZIP domains in aureochromes.
  • To explore the functional roles of different aureochromes in algal physiology.

Main Methods:

  • Biophysical analysis of aureochromes in the presence and absence of DNA.
  • Development of molecular models for light-induced DNA binding.
  • Functional characterization of aureochrome-silenced or deleted mutants in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum.

Main Results:

  • Elucidation of the allosteric mechanism governing light-dependent DNA binding in aureochromes.
  • Demonstration of an unusual inverse arrangement between sensor (LOV) and effector (bZIP) domains.
  • Evidence suggesting distinct functional roles for different aureochromes in light acclimation and cell cycle regulation.

Conclusions:

  • Aureochromes are a unique class of algal blue light photoreceptors with a conserved LOV-bZIP structure.
  • Light modulates aureochrome DNA-binding activity through allosteric regulation.
  • Aureochromes play vital roles in essential algal processes, including adaptation to light and cell cycle control.