%0 Journal Article %1 garciamartinez2015rhodopsin %A García-Martínez, Jorge %A Brunk, Michael %A Avalos, Javier %A Terpitz, Ulrich %D 2015 %I Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved %J Sci. Rep. %K terpitz %T The CarO rhodopsin of the fungus Fusarium fujikuroi is a light-driven proton pump that retards spore germination %U http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep07798 %V 5 %X Rhodopsins are membrane-embedded photoreceptors found in all major taxonomic kingdoms using retinal as their chromophore. They play well-known functions in different biological systems, but their roles in fungi remain unknown. The filamentous fungus Fusarium fujikuroi contains two putative rhodopsins, CarO and OpsA. The gene carO is light-regulated, and the predicted polypeptide contains all conserved residues required for proton pumping. We aimed to elucidate the expression and cellular location of the fungal rhodopsin CarO, its presumed proton-pumping activity and the possible effect of such function on F. fujikuroi growth. In electrophysiology experiments we confirmed that CarO is a green-light driven proton pump. Visualization of fluorescent CarO-YFP expressed in F. fujikuroi under control of its native promoter revealed higher accumulation in spores (conidia) produced by light-exposed mycelia. Germination analyses of conidia from carO− mutant and carO+ control strains showed a faster development of light-exposed carO− germlings. In conclusion, CarO is an active proton pump, abundant in light-formed conidia, whose activity slows down early hyphal development under light. Interestingly, CarO-related rhodopsins are typically found in plant-associated fungi, where green light dominates the phyllosphere. Our data provide the first reliable clue on a possible biological role of a fungal rhodopsin.

@article{garciamartinez2015rhodopsin, abstract = {Rhodopsins are membrane-embedded photoreceptors found in all major taxonomic kingdoms using retinal as their chromophore. They play well-known functions in different biological systems, but their roles in fungi remain unknown. The filamentous fungus Fusarium fujikuroi contains two putative rhodopsins, CarO and OpsA. The gene carO is light-regulated, and the predicted polypeptide contains all conserved residues required for proton pumping. We aimed to elucidate the expression and cellular location of the fungal rhodopsin CarO, its presumed proton-pumping activity and the possible effect of such function on F. fujikuroi growth. In electrophysiology experiments we confirmed that CarO is a green-light driven proton pump. Visualization of fluorescent CarO-YFP expressed in F. fujikuroi under control of its native promoter revealed higher accumulation in spores (conidia) produced by light-exposed mycelia. Germination analyses of conidia from carO− mutant and carO+ control strains showed a faster development of light-exposed carO− germlings. In conclusion, CarO is an active proton pump, abundant in light-formed conidia, whose activity slows down early hyphal development under light. Interestingly, CarO-related rhodopsins are typically found in plant-associated fungi, where green light dominates the phyllosphere. Our data provide the first reliable clue on a possible biological role of a fungal rhodopsin.}, added-at = {2015-01-15T13:34:38.000+0100}, author = {García-Martínez, Jorge and Brunk, Michael and Avalos, Javier and Terpitz, Ulrich}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2c8c91b353616fb48c3db831a8403c148/reichert}, interhash = {7bb4eab72899712a84221f5bd3dc9a22}, intrahash = {c8c91b353616fb48c3db831a8403c148}, journal = {Sci. Rep.}, keywords = {terpitz}, month = jan, publisher = {Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved}, timestamp = {2015-01-15T13:34:38.000+0100}, title = {The CarO rhodopsin of the fungus Fusarium fujikuroi is a light-driven proton pump that retards spore germination}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep07798}, volume = 5, year = 2015 }