Novel ATP-binding and autophosphorylation activity associated with Arabidopsis and human cryptochrome-1

Jean Pierre Bouly, Baldissera Giovani, Armin Djamei, Markus Mueller, Anke Zeugner, Elizabeth A. Dudkin, Alfred Batschauer, Margaret Ahmad

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

97 Scopus citations

Abstract

Cryptochromes are blue-light photoreceptors sharing sequence similarity to photolyases, a class of flavoenzymes catalyzing repair of UV-damaged DNA via electron transfer mechanisms. Despite significant amino acid sequence similarity in both catalytic and cofactor-binding domains, cryptochromes lack DNA repair functions associated with photolyases, and the molecular mechanism involved in cryptochrome signaling remains obscure. Here, we report a novel ATP binding and autophosphorylation activity associated with Arabidopsis cryl protein purified from a baculovirus expression system. Autophosphorylation occurs on serine residue(s) and is absent in preparations of cryptochrome depleted in flavin and/or misfolded. Autophosphorylation is stimulated by light in vitro and oxidizing agents that act as flavin antagonists prevent this stimulation. Human cryl expressed in baculovirus likewise shows ATP binding and autophosphorylation activity, suggesting this novel enzymatic activity may be important to the mechanism of action of both plant and animal cryptochromes.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2921-2928
Number of pages8
JournalEuropean Journal of Biochemistry
Volume270
Issue number14
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2003

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Biochemistry

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