Central Project

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Light has major impacts on algae (i) serving as energy source for photosynthesis, (ii) triggering behavioral responses under the control of sensory photoreceptors and (iii) entraining their circadian clocks by light-dark cycles. In the second funding period, we will mainly focus on light-driven processes in three unicellular algae with sequenced genomes and established genetic tools, the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, and the red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae, allowing both integrated genome and proteome analyses. Relevant proteins involved in light-driven processes in these organisms will be under investigation, including potential/meanwhile known light-activated photoreceptors such as plant-, animal- and DASH-like cryptochromes (CRYs), aureochromes (AUREOs) and novel rhodopsins. Within an interdisciplinary team, we will elucidate their detailed molecular function, conduct biophysical spectroscopic analysis, and solve the crystal structure of selected proteins. We will put special emphasis on the light activation of the putative transcription factor AUREO and the plant-like CRY, CryP (both Phaeodactylum) that influences light harvesting complex protein expression whilst having CRY-DASH features. We also focus on the animal-like aCRY that is activated not only in the blue, but also in the red region of the visual spectrum, and on the UV-absorbing enzyme-rhodopsins (both Chlamydomonas). Moreover, one out of several CRY candidates of the red alga C. merolae will be studied. CRYs are the only photoreceptors found in the genome of this ultrasmall unicellular red alga. Our studies will also further investigate the mechanisms of light-driven regulation of diatom photosynthesis on different levels. Diatoms contribute up to 20% to the primary production on Earth, and little is yet known about their photosynthesis.