Sensory photoreceptors underpin light-dependent adaptations of organismal physiology,
development, and behavior in nature. Adapted for optogenetics, sensory photoreceptors …

The light-oxygen-voltage (LOV) domains of phototropins emerged as essential constituents
of light-sensitive proteins, helping initiate blue light-triggered responses. Moreover, these …

Diatoms often outnumber other eukaryotic algae in the oceans, especially in coastal
environments characterized by frequent fluctuations in light intensity. The identities and …

Sensory photoreceptor proteins underpin light-dependent adaptations in nature and enable
the optogenetic control of organismal behavior and physiology. We identified the bacterial …

Two‐component systems (TCS) constitute the predominant means by which prokaryotes
read out and adapt to their environment. Canonical TCSs comprise a sensor histidine kinase …

The Light-oxygen-voltage-sensing domain (LOV) superfamily, found in enzymes and signal
transduction proteins, plays a crucial role in converting light signals into structural signals …

The catalytic activity of proteins is a function of structural changes. Very often these are as
minute as protonation changes, hydrogen bonding changes, and amino acid side chain …

Aureochromes (AUREOs) are unique blue light receptors and transcription factors found
only in stramenopile algae. While each of the four AUREOs identified in the diatom …

Highlights•Optogenetic tools allow control of protein activity with spatiotemporal
precision.•New photosensory domains provide diverse building blocks for optogenetic …

Detection of blue light (BL) via flavin‐binding photoreceptors (Fl‐Blues) has evolved
throughout all three domains of life. Although the main BL players, that is light, oxygen and …