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Light-induced structural adaptation of the bundle-shaped phycobilisome from thylakoid-lacking cyanobacterium Gloeobacter violaceus

Author

Listed:
  • Jianfei Ma

    (Tsinghua University
    Nankai University)

  • Xin You

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Shan Sun

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Sen-Fang Sui

    (Tsinghua University
    Southern University of Science and Technology)

Abstract

Gloeobacter diverged from other lineages early in cyanobacterial evolution, preferentially growing under low light intensity conditions. Among cyanobacteria, G. violaceus exhibits unique features, including lack of a thylakoid membrane and bundle-shaped antenna phycobilisomes (PBSs), densely packed and well-organized on the plasma membrane. However, without high-resolution structures, it has remained unclear how G. violaceus PBSs assemble into a bundle-shaped configuration. Here we solve the cryo-EM structures of PBSs from G. violaceus cells cultured under low (Sr-PBS) or moderate (Lr-PBS) light intensity. These structures reveal two unique linker proteins, LRC91kDa and LRC81kDa, that play a key role in the PBS architecture. Analysis of the bilin arrangement indicates that the bundle-shaped structure allows efficient energy transfer among rods. Moreover, comparison between Lr-PBS and Sr-PBS uncovers a distinct mode of adaption to increased light intensity wherein the ApcA2-ApcB3-ApcD layer can be blocked from binding to the core by altering structural elements exclusively found in the G. violaceus LCM. This study illustrates previously unrecognized mechanisms of assembly and adaptation to varying light intensity in the bundle-shaped PBS of G. violaceus.

Suggested Citation

  • Jianfei Ma & Xin You & Shan Sun & Sen-Fang Sui, 2025. "Light-induced structural adaptation of the bundle-shaped phycobilisome from thylakoid-lacking cyanobacterium Gloeobacter violaceus," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-60673-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60673-w
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jianfei Ma & Xin You & Shan Sun & Xiaoxiao Wang & Song Qin & Sen-Fang Sui, 2020. "Structural basis of energy transfer in Porphyridium purpureum phycobilisome," Nature, Nature, vol. 579(7797), pages 146-151, March.
    2. Keisuke Kawakami & Tasuku Hamaguchi & Yuu Hirose & Daisuke Kosumi & Makoto Miyata & Nobuo Kamiya & Koji Yonekura, 2022. "Core and rod structures of a thermophilic cyanobacterial light-harvesting phycobilisome," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. María Agustina Domínguez-Martín & Paul V. Sauer & Henning Kirst & Markus Sutter & David Bína & Basil J. Greber & Eva Nogales & Tomáš Polívka & Cheryl A. Kerfeld, 2022. "Structures of a phycobilisome in light-harvesting and photoprotected states," Nature, Nature, vol. 609(7928), pages 835-845, September.
    4. Lvqin Zheng & Zhenggao Zheng & Xiying Li & Guopeng Wang & Kun Zhang & Peijun Wei & Jindong Zhao & Ning Gao, 2021. "Structural insight into the mechanism of energy transfer in cyanobacterial phycobilisomes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Han-Wei Jiang & Hsiang-Yi Wu & Chun-Hsiung Wang & Cheng-Han Yang & Jui-Tse Ko & Han-Chen Ho & Ming-Daw Tsai & Donald A. Bryant & Fay-Wei Li & Meng-Chiao Ho & Ming-Yang Ho, 2023. "A structure of the relict phycobilisome from a thylakoid-free cyanobacterium," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.
    6. Jun Zhang & Jianfei Ma & Desheng Liu & Song Qin & Shan Sun & Jindong Zhao & Sen-Fang Sui, 2017. "Structure of phycobilisome from the red alga Griffithsia pacifica," Nature, Nature, vol. 551(7678), pages 57-63, November.
    7. John Jumper & Richard Evans & Alexander Pritzel & Tim Green & Michael Figurnov & Olaf Ronneberger & Kathryn Tunyasuvunakool & Russ Bates & Augustin Žídek & Anna Potapenko & Alex Bridgland & Clemens Me, 2021. "Highly accurate protein structure prediction with AlphaFold," Nature, Nature, vol. 596(7873), pages 583-589, August.
    8. Han-Wei Jiang & Hsiang-Yi Wu & Chun-Hsiung Wang & Cheng-Han Yang & Jui-Tse Ko & Han-Chen Ho & Ming-Daw Tsai & Donald A. Bryant & Fay-Wei Li & Meng-Chiao Ho & Ming-Yang Ho, 2023. "Author Correction: A structure of the relict phycobilisome from a thylakoid-free cyanobacterium," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-1, December.
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