Light regulation of pigment and photosystem biosynthesis in cyanobacteria
- Ho, Ming-Yang [ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA ] [ Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Plant Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA ]
- Soulier, Nathan T. [ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA ]
- Canniffe, Daniel P. [ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA ]
- Shen, Gaozhong [ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA ]
- Byrant, Donald A. [ Montana State University: Chemistry & Biochemistry ] [ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA ] [ Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Plant Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA ]
Most cyanobacteria are obligate oxygenic photoautotrophs, and thus their growth and survival is highly dependent on effective utilization of incident light. Cyanobacteria have evolved a diverse set of phytochromes and cyanobacteriochromes (CBCRs) that allow cells to respond to light in the range from ∼300nm to ∼750nm. Together with associated response regulators, these photosensory proteins control many aspects of cyanobacterial physiology and metabolism. These include far-red light photoacclimation (FaRLiP), complementary chromatic acclimation (CCA), low-light photoacclimation (LoLiP), photosystem content and stoichiometry (long-term adaptation), short-term acclimation (state transitions), circadian rhythm, phototaxis, photomorphogenesis/development, and cellular aggregation. This minireview highlights some discoveries concerning phytochromes and CBCRs as well as two acclimation processes that improve light harvesting and energy conversion under specific irradiance conditions: FaRLiP and CCA.