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Carmen Hütsch

Doctoral Researcher, AG Batschauer (Kiontke Lab)
Philipps-University Marburg
Phone: +49 6421 28-81030
Mail:

Project: High resolution cryo-EM studies of the fungal White Collar protein complex

Project summary:
The White Collar protein complex (WCC) is the best studied fungal blue light photoreceptor. In its dark-adapted state, WCC is a heterodimer of the White Collar 1 (Wco1) and White Collar 2 (Wco2) proteins and senses blue light through its LOV (light/oxygen/voltage) domain at the N-terminus of Wco1. This LOV domain is capable to bind the flavin chromophore FAD by a typical GRNCRFLQ sequence motif. Upon blue light irradiation, a transient flavin-cysteine adduct is formed, which presumably leads to local conformational changes and ultimately triggers the multimerization of the WCC. This biological active WCC regulates the transcription of light-inducible genes via zinc finger domains at the C-termini of both White Collar proteins. During my fellowship, I would like to elucidate the structural changes of the White Collar photoreceptor upon light activation and gain initial structure-based information about the multimerization process.

Cooperation with: Jan Schuller (SYNMIKRO, UMR)

Cooperation Partners