Navigation Links
Scientists decipher structure of nature's 'light switch'
Date:5/31/2010

researchers and their collaborators have pieced together for the first time a detailed structure of a whole phytochrome.

Li and his collaborators studied a phytochrome from a common bacterium that is quite similar in biochemistry and function to those found in plants, but easier to isolate. Plant biologist Richard Vierstra of the University of Wisconsin provided the purified samples.

At Brookhaven, Li's group used two imaging techniques. First, they applied a layer of heavy metal dye to the purified phytochrome molecules to make them more visible, and viewed them using an electron microscope. This produced many two-dimensional images from a variety of angles to give the researchers a rough outline of the phytochrome map.

The scientists also froze the molecules in solution to produce another set of images that would be free of artifacts from the staining technique. For this set of images, the scientists used a cryo-electron microscope.

Using computers to average the data from each technique and then combine the information, the scientists were able to construct a three-dimensional map of the full phytochrome structure. The scientists then fitted the previously determined detailed structures of phytochrome fragments into their newly derived 3-D map to build an atomic model for the whole phytochrome.

Though the scientists knew the phytochrome was composed of two "sister" units, forming a dimer, the new structure revealed a surprisingly long twisted area of contact between the two individual units, with a good deal of flexibility at the untwisted ends. The structure supports the idea that the absorption of light somehow adjusts the strength or orientation of the contact, and through a series of conformation changes, transmits a signal down the length of the molecular interface. The scientists confirmed the proposed structural changes during photo-conversion by mutagenesis and biochemical assay.

The scientists studie
'/>"/>

Contact: Karen McNulty Walsh
kmcnulty@bnl.gov
631-344-8350
DOE/Brookhaven National Laboratory
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2 3

Related biology news :

1. Scientists find genes associated with throat cancer through study of over 10,000 subjects
2. NIST scientists gain new core understanding of nanoparticles
3. Scientists conclude asteroid ended the age of dinosaurs
4. Scientists to study impact of gulf oil spill on marine food webs
5. Scripps Research scientists break barrier to creating potential therapeutic molecules
6. Singapore scientists exploit knowledge of p53 for increasing specificity of cancer treatments
7. FASEB Scientists Descend on Capitol Hill to Advocate for Increased Science Funding
8. Scientists make important step toward stopping plaque-like formations in Huntingtons disease
9. Scientists need to be more proactive, effective at public communication
10. ARS scientists in North Dakota help improve potato storage capabilities
11. Stanford scientists track polluted groundwater to the sea
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:5/24/2013)... around the world today issued a stark warning that, ... or two generations, the majority of the 9 billion ... of severe pressure on fresh water, an absolutely essential ... handicap will be self-inflicted and is, we believe, entirely ... problems led by mismanagement and sent a prescription to ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... National Laboratory honored more than 165 staff for ... at PNNL,s annual Intellectual Property Commercialization Recognition & ... Energy national laboratory named materials scientist Jun Liu ... battery materials that can store large amounts of ... reduce the time it takes to charge cell ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... By discovering the new mechanism by which estrogen suppresses ... revealed a potential new approach toward treating certain liver ... and colleagues believe they are changing long-held views in ... issue of the journal Science Signaling . , ... years has been that only receptors located in the ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):A majority on Earth face severe self-inflicted water woes within 2 generations: Scientists 2A majority on Earth face severe self-inflicted water woes within 2 generations: Scientists 3A majority on Earth face severe self-inflicted water woes within 2 generations: Scientists 4PNNL staff recognized for scientific accomplishments, moving technologies into the marketplace 2UCI study reveals new mechanism for estrogen suppression of liver lipid synthesis 2
... studying a particularly short-lived fish species, researchers have been ... to extend lifespan in non-vertebrate organisms can also do ... reported by Alessandro Cellerino of the Scuola Normale Superiore, ... compound in human aging research. , The development of ...
... foul odors and closed beaches hit Rhode Island's Narragansett ... hypoxia, or oxygen depletion, which literally suffocates sea life. ... seen on the bay's surface, Brown University ecologists went ... a survey of nine mussel reefs located in the ...
... environmental problem, especially on the Indian subcontinent. Researchers at ... genetic techniques to create "arsenic-eating" plants that could be ... however. The arsenic sequestered from soil remained largely in ... harvest for safe disposal. Now, the research team, led ...
Cached Biology News:Resveratrol prolongs lifespan and delays onset of aging-related traits in a short-lived vertebrate 2'Dead zone' summer killed billions of ocean state mussels 2Researchers discover way to transport environmental arsenic to plant leaves in new clean-up strategy 2
(Date:5/24/2013)... May 24, 2013 Vestiage, Inc. ... company focused on science-based research and development, sales ... cosmeceuticals and nutraceuticals, announced today that it is ... for the sale of Reluma Skin Illuminating Facial ... and application by sending an email to info(at)vestiageinc(dot)com ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... Every day, their baby stopped breathing, his collapsed ... lungs. April and Bryan Gionfriddo watched helplessly, just praying ... a few doctors said he had a good chance ... about her now 20-month-old son, Kaiba. "At that point, ... take it and run with it." , They found ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... (PRWEB) May 23, 2013 Can economic ... from work motivate members of the public to increase ... including Johns Hopkins Carey Business School Assistant ... yes. Pointing to a large body of recent research ... the May 24, 2013, issue of Science that the ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... May 23, 2013 PuraMed BioScience ® ... marketer of over-the-counter (OTC) medicinal and healthcare products, ... on the company based on low market capitalization ... Non-Prescription, All Natural Product to Treat Migraine Headaches ... #1 Prescription Competitor , Currently Available Nationwide ...
Breaking Biology Technology:Vestiage Announces Launch of Exclusive Territories for Reluma Brand Sales in USA 2Vestiage Announces Launch of Exclusive Territories for Reluma Brand Sales in USA 3Vestiage Announces Launch of Exclusive Territories for Reluma Brand Sales in USA 4Vestiage Announces Launch of Exclusive Territories for Reluma Brand Sales in USA 5Baby's life saved with groundbreaking 3-D printed device that restored his breathing 2Baby's life saved with groundbreaking 3-D printed device that restored his breathing 3Offering Economic Incentives to Attract Blood Donations Should Be Encouraged, Research Team writes in Science 2Offering Economic Incentives to Attract Blood Donations Should Be Encouraged, Research Team writes in Science 3PuraMed BioScience (PMBS) Issued Alert Based on Market Cap of $721,756 2PuraMed BioScience (PMBS) Issued Alert Based on Market Cap of $721,756 3
... recognition of her ongoing support of the nation,s human ... 2012 recipient of the National Space Biomedical Research Institute,s ... Texas was honored today during the official opening of ... with Baylor College of Medicine,s Center for Space Medicine ...
... 19, 2012 The nation,s first Minority Biomedical ... Cleveland.  MBEC offers a unique platform for minority ... engage, network, collaborate and exchange ideas. ... represent less than 5 percent(1) of the growing ...
... Research Centre (CNIO) routinely runs such tests on samples sent ... the first step towards a truly personalised medicine. And researchers ... each organism at a molecular scale: the genes that are ... circulating through the bloodstream; and the length of the telomeres ...
Cached Biology Technology:Space Research Institute Honors Senator Hutchison with Pioneer Award 2Space Research Institute Honors Senator Hutchison with Pioneer Award 3Minority Biomedical Entrepreneurship Conference 2Minority Biomedical Entrepreneurship Conference 3CNIO researchers take part in the most comprehensive personalized medicine study performed to date 2CNIO researchers take part in the most comprehensive personalized medicine study performed to date 3
Human Apolipoprotein B100 Affinity Purified Polyclonal Ab ENTREZ GeneID: 338...
Human RXR beta/NR2B2 MAb (Clone H7341) Keywords: RXRbeta, RXRbeta, Retinoid X Receptor beta...
PSMD1 Antibody...
Terrific Broth, 1 kg. Mixture of casein peptone, yeast extract, K2HPO4, and KH2PO4.Used at 47 g/l for E. coli growth with higher cell densities. Category: Nucleotides & Enzymes & Biochemicals, Ultrap...
Biology Products: