Phosphorylation of Arabidopsis UVR8 photoreceptor modulates protein interactions and responses to UV-B radiation

Liu, W. et al. (2024) Phosphorylation of Arabidopsis UVR8 photoreceptor modulates protein interactions and responses to UV-B radiation. Nature Communications, 15(1), 1221. (doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-45575-7) (PMID:38336824) (PMCID:PMC10858049)

Abstract

Exposure of plants to ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation initiates transcriptional responses that modify metabolism, physiology and development to enhance viability in sunlight. Many of these regulatory responses to UV-B radiation are mediated by the photoreceptor UV RESISTANCE LOCUS 8 (UVR8). Following photoreception, UVR8 interacts directly with multiple proteins to regulate gene expression, but the mechanisms that control differential protein binding to initiate distinct responses are unknown. Here we show that UVR8 is phosphorylated at several sites and that UV-B stimulates phosphorylation at Serine 402. Site-directed mutagenesis to mimic Serine 402 phosphorylation promotes binding of UVR8 to REPRESSOR OF UV-B PHOTOMORPHOGENESIS (RUP) proteins, which negatively regulate UVR8 action. Complementation of the uvr8 mutant with phosphonull or phosphomimetic variants suggests that phosphorylation of Serine 402 modifies UVR8 activity and promotes flavonoid biosynthesis, a key UV-B-stimulated response that enhances plant protection and crop nutritional quality. This research provides a basis to understand how UVR8 interacts differentially with effector proteins to regulate plant responses to UV-B radiation.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: The research was funded by a UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council grant (BB/T003251/1) to G.I.J. and J.M.C., which supported W.L. and A.H.. W.L. was additionally supported by a China Scholarship Council PhD studentship. G.G. is supported by a Sainsbury PhD Studentship from the Gatsby Charitable Foundation.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Petersen, Dr Jan and Jenkins, Professor Gareth and Velanis, Mr Christos and Liu, Dr Wei and Giuriani, Giovanni and LI, DEZHI and Havlikova, Miss Anezka and Christie, Professor John
• Authors: Liu, W., Giuriani, G., Havlikova, A., Li, D., Lamont, D. J., Neugart, S., Velanis, C. N., Petersen, J., Hoecker, U., Christie, J. M., and Jenkins, G.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Molecular Biosciences
• Journal Name: Nature Communications
• Publisher: Nature Research
• ISSN: 2041-1723
• ISSN (Online): 2041-1723
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © The Author(s) 2024
• First Published: First published in Nature Communications 15(1):1221
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons licence

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
306438		UVR8 photoreceptor action and regulation	Gareth Jenkins	Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)	BB/T003251/1	School of Molecular Biosciences