A1 Journal article (refereed)
Photoactivation of Drosophila melanogaster cryptochrome through sequential conformational transitions (2019)

Berntsson, O., Rodriguez, R., Henry, L., Panman, M. R., Hughes, A. J., Einholz, C., Weber, S., Ihalainen, J. A., Henning, R., Kosheleva, I., Schleicher, E., & Westenhoff, S. (2019). Photoactivation of Drosophila melanogaster cryptochrome through sequential conformational transitions. Science Advances, 5(7), Article eaaw1531. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aaw1531

JYU authors or editors

Ihalainen, Janne

Publication details

All authors or editors: Berntsson, Oskar; Rodriguez, Ryan; Henry, Léocadie; Panman, Matthijs R.; Hughes, Ashley J.; Einholz, Christopher; Weber, Stefan; Ihalainen, Janne A.; Henning, Robert; Kosheleva, Irina; et al.

Journal or series: Science Advances

eISSN: 2375-2548

Publication year: 2019

Volume: 5

Issue number: 7

Article number: eaaw1531

Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science

Publication country: United States

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aaw1531

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/65105

Abstract

Cryptochromes are blue-light photoreceptor proteins, which provide input to circadian clocks. The crypto-
chrome from Drosophila melanogaster (DmCry) modulates the degradation of Timeless and itself. It is unclear
how light absorption by the chromophore and the subsequent redox reactions trigger these events. Here, we
use nano- to millisecond time-resolved x-ray solution scattering to reveal the light-activated conformational
changes in DmCry and the related (6-4) photolyase. DmCry undergoes a series of structural changes, culminat-
ing in the release of the carboxyl-terminal tail (CTT). The photolyase has a simpler structural response. We find
that the CTT release in DmCry depends on pH. Mutation of a conserved histidine, important for the biochemical
activity of DmCry, does not affect transduction of the structural signal to the CTT. Instead, molecular dynamics
simulations suggest that it stabilizes the CTT in the resting-state conformation. Our structural photocycle un-
ravels the first molecular events of signal transduction in an animal cryptochrome.

Keywords: photobiology; circadian rhythm; proteins; Drosophila melanogaster

Free keywords: Drosophila melanogaster

Fields of science: