Phototropin connects blue light perception to starch metabolism in green algae

Abstract

In photosynthetic organisms, light acts as an environmental signal to control their development and physiology, as well as energy source to drive the conversion of CO₂ into carbohydrates used for growth or storage. The main storage carbohydrate in green algae is starch, which accumulates during the day and is broken down at night to meet cellular energy demands. The signaling role of light quality in the regulation of starch accumulation remains unexplored. Here, we identify PHOTOTROPIN-MEDIATED SIGNALING KINASE 1 (PMSK1) as a key regulator of starch metabolism in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. In its phosphorylated form (PMSK1-P), it activates GLYCERALDEHYDE-3-PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE (GAP1), promoting starch biosynthesis. We show that blue light, perceived by PHOTOTROPIN, induces PMSK1 dephosphorylation that in turn represses GAP1 mRNA levels and reduces starch accumulation. These findings reveal a previously uncharacterized blue light-mediated signaling pathway that advances our understanding of photoreceptor-controlled carbon metabolism in microalgae.