Proton-coupled conformational changes in photoreceptors (B06)

• Subject Area: Biophysics
• Term: since 2013
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 221545957

By combining structural biology methods, protein engineering, and vibrational spectroscopy, we aim at determining the structural basis and dynamics of the proton-dependent reaction steps in phytochromes. Specific objectives are to analyze (i) the differences in the protonation-dependent reaction mechanism along the Pr/Pfr and Pfr/Pr transformations of prototypical and bathy bacteriophytochromes, (ii) different proton-dependent mechanisms of photosensor activation in prokaryotic and eukaryotic phytochromes, and (iii) cause-effect relationships between movements of chromophore, protons, and protein building blocks.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1078: Protonation Dynamics in Protein Function
• Applicant Institution: Freie Universität Berlin
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Peter Hildebrandt; Dr. Patrick Scheerer