Phototropin connects blue light perception to starch metabolism in green algae

Yizhong Yuan, Anthony A. Iannetta, Minjae Kim, Patric W. Sadecki, Marius Arend, Angeliki Tsichla, M. Águila Ruiz-Sola, Georgios Kepesidis, Denis Falconet, Emmanuel Thevenon, Marianne Tardif, Sabine Brugière, Yohann Couté, Jean Philippe Kleman, Irina Sizova, Marion Schilling, Juliette Jouhet, Peter Hegemann, Yonghua Li-Beisson, Zoran Nikoloski, Olivier Bastien, Leslie M. Hicks and Dimitris Petroutsos ()
Additional contact information
Yizhong Yuan: Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, INRAE, IRIG-LPCV
Anthony A. Iannetta: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Minjae Kim: Institute de Biosciences et Biotechnologies Aix-Marseille, Aix Marseille University, CEA, CNRS, BIAM
Patric W. Sadecki: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Marius Arend: University of Potsdam
Angeliki Tsichla: Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, INRAE, IRIG-LPCV
M. Águila Ruiz-Sola: Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, INRAE, IRIG-LPCV
Georgios Kepesidis: Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, INRAE, IRIG-LPCV
Denis Falconet: Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, INRAE, IRIG-LPCV
Emmanuel Thevenon: Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, INRAE, IRIG-LPCV
Marianne Tardif: Université Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, UA13 BGE, CNRS, CEA, FR2048
Sabine Brugière: Université Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, UA13 BGE, CNRS, CEA, FR2048
Yohann Couté: Université Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, CEA, UA13 BGE, CNRS, CEA, FR2048
Jean Philippe Kleman: Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS
Irina Sizova: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Marion Schilling: Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, INRAE, IRIG-LPCV
Juliette Jouhet: Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, INRAE, IRIG-LPCV
Peter Hegemann: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Yonghua Li-Beisson: Institute de Biosciences et Biotechnologies Aix-Marseille, Aix Marseille University, CEA, CNRS, BIAM
Zoran Nikoloski: University of Potsdam
Olivier Bastien: Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, INRAE, IRIG-LPCV
Leslie M. Hicks: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Dimitris Petroutsos: Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, INRAE, IRIG-LPCV

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Abstract In photosynthetic organisms, light acts as an environmental signal to control their development and physiology, as well as energy source to drive the conversion of CO2 into carbohydrates used for growth or storage. The main storage carbohydrate in green algae is starch, which accumulates during the day and is broken down at night to meet cellular energy demands. The signaling role of light quality in the regulation of starch accumulation remains unexplored. Here, we identify PHOTOTROPIN-MEDIATED SIGNALING KINASE 1 (PMSK1) as a key regulator of starch metabolism in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. In its phosphorylated form (PMSK1-P), it activates GLYCERALDEHYDE-3-PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE (GAP1), promoting starch biosynthesis. We show that blue light, perceived by PHOTOTROPIN, induces PMSK1 dephosphorylation that in turn represses GAP1 mRNA levels and reduces starch accumulation. These findings reveal a previously uncharacterized blue light-mediated signaling pathway that advances our understanding of photoreceptor-controlled carbon metabolism in microalgae.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57809-3

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