Blue news update: BODIPY-GTP binds to the blue-light receptor YtvA while GTP does not

PLoS One. 2012;7(1):e29201. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029201. Epub 2012 Jan 11.

Abstract

Light is an important environmental factor for almost all organisms. It is mainly used as an energy source but it is also a key factor for the regulation of multiple cellular functions. Light as the extracellular stimulus is thereby converted into an intracellular signal by photoreceptors that act as signal transducers. The blue-light receptor YtvA, a bacterial counterpart of plant phototropins, is involved in the stress response of Bacillus subtilis. The mechanism behind its activation, however, remains unknown. It was suggested based on fluorescence spectroscopic studies that YtvA function involves GTP binding and that this interaction is altered by absorption of light. We have investigated this interaction by several biophysical methods and show here using fluorescence spectroscopy, ITC titrations, and three NMR spectroscopic assays that while YtvA interacts with BODIPY-GTP as a fluorescent GTP analogue originally used for the detection of GTP binding, it does not bind GTP.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacillus subtilis / metabolism*
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Boron Compounds / chemistry
  • Boron Compounds / metabolism*
  • Calorimetry
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry
  • Fluorescent Dyes / metabolism*
  • Guanosine Triphosphate / metabolism*
  • Light
  • Models, Molecular
  • Photoreceptors, Microbial / metabolism*
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence

Substances

  • 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Boron Compounds
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Photoreceptors, Microbial
  • Guanosine Triphosphate