Analysis of structure and function of the novel bZIP-LOV proteindiscovered in stramenopile algae

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Brown algae, diatoms and xanthophyceae are main constituents of stramenopile algae. Stramenopile algae are the main primary producers in ocean. From a stramenopile alga, Vaucheria (Xanthophyceae), we discovered the novel blue light receptor aureochrome. Aureochrome was found to be a new type of bZIP-LOV protein, and was found to be a blue light-activated transcription factor. It probably mediates the blue-light-induced branching and regulates the sexual development in Vaucheria. Aureochromes are common and specific to stramenopile algae, but not existed in green plants. Function of aureochromes in other stramenopile algae is not known to date.