Premium
Front Cover: Photochemical Mechanism of an Atypical Algal Phytochrome (ChemBioChem 10/2018)
Author(s) -
Choudry Uzma,
Heyes Derren J.,
Hardman Samantha J. O.,
Sakuma Michiyo,
Sazanovich Igor V.,
Woodhouse Joyce,
De La Mora Eugenio,
Pedersen Martin N.,
Wulff Michael,
Weik Martin,
Schirò Giorgio,
Scrutton Nigel S.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
chembiochem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.05
H-Index - 126
eISSN - 1439-7633
pISSN - 1439-4227
DOI - 10.1002/cbic.201800204
Subject(s) - phytochrome , biophysics , optogenetics , visible spectrum , chemistry , photochemistry , biology , botany , optics , physics , red light , neuroscience
The front cover picture shows the visible and infra‐red transient absorption data and bilin structures for the photoconversion of a novel phytochrome from Dolihomastix tenuilepis between orange‐ and far‐red‐absorbing states. The unique ability of phytochromes from some algae to respond to multiple wavelengths of light has made them attractive targets for optogenetic applications. We used a combination of time‐resolved visible, IR, and X‐ray scattering techniques across picosecond to second timescales to map the photochemical mechanisms and structural changes in phytochromes. The photocycle for this atypical phytochrome is complex, thus it is necessary to combine outcomes from a range of biophysical approaches in order to unravel all the photochemical and macromolecular processes that are behind biological light‐mediated signalling in multi‐domain photoreceptor proteins. More information can be found in the full paper by N. S. Scrutton et al. on page 1036 in Issue 10, 2018 (DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201800016).