The phosphoproteome of a Chlamydomonas reinhardtii eyespot fraction includes key proteins of the light signaling pathway

Insights into degradation and targeting of the photoreceptor channelrhodopsin-1

In Chlamydomonas, the directly light-gated, plasma membrane-localized cation channels channelrhodopsins ChR1 and ChR2 are the primary photoreceptors for phototaxis. Their targeting and abundance is essential for optimal movement responses. However, our knowledge how Chlamydomonas achieves this is still at its infancy. Here we show that ChR1 internalization occurs via light-stimulated endocytosis. Prior or during endocytosis ChR1 is modified and forms high molecular mass complexes. These are the solely detectable ChR1 forms in extracellular vesicles and their abundance therein dynamically changes upon illumination. The ChR1-containing extracellular vesicles are secreted via the plasma membrane and/or the ciliary base. In line with this, ciliogenesis mutants exhibit increased ChR1 degradation rates. Further, we establish involvement of the cysteine protease CEP1, a member of the papain-type C1A subfamily. ΔCEP1-knockout strains lack light-induced ChR1 degradation, whereas ChR2 degradation was unaffected. Low light stimulates CEP1 expression, which is regulated via phototropin, a SPA1 E3 ubiquitin ligase and cyclic AMP. Further, mutant and inhibitor analyses revealed involvement of the small GTPase ARL11 and SUMOylation in ChR1 targeting to the eyespot and cilia. Our study thus defines the degradation pathway of this central photoreceptor of Chlamydomonas and identifies novel elements involved in its homoeostasis and targeting.

Utilizing proteomics to identify and optimize microalgae strains for high-quality dietary protein: a review

Algae-derived protein has immense potential to provide high-quality protein foods for the expanding human population. To meet its potential, a broad range of scientific tools are required to identify optimal algal strains from the hundreds of thousands available and identify ideal growing conditions for strains that produce high-quality protein with functional benefits. A research pipeline that includes proteomics can provide a deeper interpretation of microalgal composition and biochemistry in the pursuit of these goals. To date, proteomic investigations have largely focused on pathways that involve lipid production in selected microalgae species. Herein, we report the current state of microalgal proteome measurement and discuss promising approaches for the development of protein-containing food products derived from algae.

Channelrhodopsins: From Phototaxis to Optogenetics

Channelrhodopsins stand out among other retinal proteins because of their capacity to generate passive ionic currents following photoactivation. Owing to that, channelrhodopsins are widely used in neuroscience and cardiology as instruments for optogenetic manipulation of the activity of excitable cells. Photocurrents generated by channelrhodopsins were first discovered in the cells of green algae in the 1970s. In this review we describe this discovery and discuss the current state of research in the field.

The structure and functional mechanism of eyespot in Chlamydomonas

Light plays a crucial role in photosynthesis, photoperiodism, and photomorphogenesis. Algae have a specialized visual system to perceive the light signal known as eyespot. A typical eyespot is an orange-colored, membranous structure packed with pigmented granules. In algae, the eyespot membrane bears a specialized type of photoreceptors, which shows similarity with animal rhodopsin photoreceptors. This light-sensing receptor is responsible for the photo-mobility response known as phototaxis. In this, light acts as a signal for onset and cascade of downstream signal transduction pathway leading to a conformational change in photoreceptor. This induces the continuous influx of calcium ions through the opening of calcium ion channels leading to membrane depolarization, and beating of flagella which is responsible for phototaxis. Mutational studies have assisted the discovery of eyespot genes, which are involved in eyespot development, assembly, size control, and functioning in Chlamydomonas. These genes belong to photoreceptors (cop1-12, acry, pcry, cry-dash1, cry-dash2, phot, uvr8), eyeless mutants (eye2, eye3), miniature-eyespot mutants (min1, min2), multiple eyespot mutants (mlt1, mlt2). This review discusses the structural biology of eyespots with special reference to Chlamydomonas, molecular insights, related genes, and proteins responsible for its proper functioning.

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cellular compartments and their contribution to intracellular calcium signalling

Calcium (Ca2+)-dependent signalling plays a well-characterized role in the response to different environmental stimuli, in both plant and animal cells. In the model organism for green algae, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Ca2+ signals were reported to have a crucial role in different physiological processes, such as stress responses, photosynthesis, and flagella functions. Recent reports identified the underlying components of the Ca2+ signalling machinery at the level of specific subcellular compartments and reported in vivo imaging of cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in response to environmental stimuli. The characterization of these Ca2+-related mechanisms and proteins in C. reinhardtii is providing knowledge on how microalgae can perceive and respond to environmental stimuli, but also on how this Ca2+ signalling machinery has evolved. Here, we review current knowledge on the cellular mechanisms underlying the generation, shaping, and decoding of Ca2+ signals in C. reinhardtii, providing an overview of the known and possible molecular players involved in the Ca2+ signalling of its different subcellular compartments. The advanced toolkits recently developed to measure time-resolved Ca2+ signalling in living C. reinhardtii cells are also discussed, suggesting how they can improve the study of the role of Ca2+ signals in the cellular response of microalgae to environmental stimuli.

A deep learning based approach for prediction of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii phosphorylation sites

Protein phosphorylation, which is one of the most important post-translational modifications (PTMs), is involved in regulating myriad cellular processes. Herein, we present a novel deep learning based approach for organism-specific protein phosphorylation site prediction in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a model algal phototroph. An ensemble model combining convolutional neural networks and long short-term memory (LSTM) achieves the best performance in predicting phosphorylation sites in C. reinhardtii. Deemed Chlamy-EnPhosSite, the measured best AUC and MCC are 0.90 and 0.64 respectively for a combined dataset of serine (S) and threonine (T) in independent testing higher than those measures for other predictors. When applied to the entire C. reinhardtii proteome (totaling 1,809,304 S and T sites), Chlamy-EnPhosSite yielded 499,411 phosphorylated sites with a cut-off value of 0.5 and 237,949 phosphorylated sites with a cut-off value of 0.7. These predictions were compared to an experimental dataset of phosphosites identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) in a blinded study and approximately 89.69% of 2,663 C. reinhardtii S and T phosphorylation sites were successfully predicted by Chlamy-EnPhosSite at a probability cut-off of 0.5 and 76.83% of sites were successfully identified at a more stringent 0.7 cut-off. Interestingly, Chlamy-EnPhosSite also successfully predicted experimentally confirmed phosphorylation sites in a protein sequence (e.g., RPS6 S245) which did not appear in the training dataset, highlighting prediction accuracy and the power of leveraging predictions to identify biologically relevant PTM sites. These results demonstrate that our method represents a robust and complementary technique for high-throughput phosphorylation site prediction in C. reinhardtii. It has potential to serve as a useful tool to the community. Chlamy-EnPhosSite will contribute to the understanding of how protein phosphorylation influences various biological processes in this important model microalga.

Specific residues in the cytoplasmic domain modulate photocurrent kinetics of channelrhodopsin from Klebsormidium nitens

Channelrhodopsins (ChRs) are light-gated ion channels extensively applied as optogenetics tools for manipulating neuronal activity. All currently known ChRs comprise a large cytoplasmic domain, whose function is elusive. Here, we report the cation channel properties of KnChR, one of the photoreceptors from a filamentous terrestrial alga Klebsormidium nitens, and demonstrate that the cytoplasmic domain of KnChR modulates the ion channel properties. KnChR is constituted of a 7-transmembrane domain forming a channel pore, followed by a C-terminus moiety encoding a peptidoglycan binding domain (FimV). Notably, the channel closure rate was affected by the C-terminus moiety. Truncation of the moiety to various lengths prolonged the channel open lifetime by more than 10-fold. Two Arginine residues (R287 and R291) are crucial for altering the photocurrent kinetics. We propose that electrostatic interaction between the rhodopsin domain and the C-terminus domain accelerates the channel kinetics. Additionally, maximal sensitivity was exhibited at 430 and 460 nm, the former making KnChR one of the most blue-shifted ChRs characterized thus far, serving as a novel prototype for studying the molecular mechanism of color tuning of the ChRs. Furthermore, KnChR would expand the optogenetics tool kit, especially for dual light applications when short-wavelength excitation is required.

Tashiro et al. describe a new channelrhodopsin variant from a terrestrial algal species and the role of the C-terminal domain in regulatory function. This far-blue-shifted channelrhodopsin may contribute to optogenetic tool research in the future.

Lipid droplets throughout the evolutionary tree

Intracellular lipid droplets are utilized for lipid storage and metabolism in organisms as evolutionarily diverse as animals, fungi, plants, bacteria, and archaea. These lipid droplets demonstrate great diversity in biological functions and protein and lipid compositions, yet fundamentally share common molecular and ultrastructural characteristics. Lipid droplet research has been largely fragmented across the diversity of lipid droplet classes and sub-classes. However, we suggest that there is great potential benefit to the lipid community in better integrating the lipid droplet research fields. To facilitate such integration, we survey the protein and lipid compositions, functional roles, and mechanisms of biogenesis across the breadth of lipid droplets studied throughout the natural world. We depict the big picture of lipid droplet biology, emphasizing shared characteristics and unique differences seen between different classes. In presenting the known diversity of lipid droplets side-by-side it becomes necessary to offer for the first time a consistent system of categorization and nomenclature. We propose a division into three primary classes that reflect their sub-cellular location: i) cytoplasmic lipid droplets (CYTO-LDs), that are present in the eukaryotic cytoplasm, ii) prokaryotic lipid droplets (PRO-LDs), that exist in the prokaryotic cytoplasm, and iii) plastid lipid droplets (PL-LDs), that are found in plant plastids, organelles of photosynthetic eukaryotes. Within each class there is a remarkable array of sub-classes displaying various sizes, shapes and compositions. A more integrated lipid droplet research field will provide opportunities to better build on discoveries and accelerate the pace of research in ways that have not been possible.

Babo1, formerly Vop1 and Cop1/2, is no eyespot photoreceptor but a basal body protein illuminating cell division in Volvox carteri

In photosynthetic organisms many processes are light dependent and sensing of light requires light-sensitive proteins. The supposed eyespot photoreceptor protein Babo1 (formerly Vop1) has previously been classified as an opsin due to the capacity for binding retinal. Here, we analyze Babo1 and provide evidence that it is no opsin. Due to the localization at the basal bodies, the former Vop1 and Cop1/2 proteins were renamed V.c. Babo1 and C.r. Babo1. We reveal a large family of more than 60 Babo1-related proteins from a wide range of species. The detailed subcellular localization of fluorescence-tagged Babo1 shows that it accumulates at the basal apparatus. More precisely, it is located predominantly at the basal bodies and to a lesser extent at the four strands of rootlet microtubules. We trace Babo1 during basal body separation and cell division. Dynamic structural rearrangements of Babo1 particularly occur right before the first cell division. In four-celled embryos Babo1 was exclusively found at the oldest basal bodies of the embryo and on the corresponding d-roots. The unequal distribution of Babo1 in four-celled embryos could be an integral part of a geometrical system in early embryogenesis, which establishes the anterior-posterior polarity and influences the spatial arrangement of all embryonic structures and characteristics. Due to its retinal-binding capacity, Babo1 could also be responsible for the unequal distribution of retinoids, knowing that such concentration gradients of retinoids can be essential for the correct patterning during embryogenesis of more complex organisms. Thus, our findings push the Babo1 research in another direction.

Characterization of a Plastoglobule-Localized SOUL4 Heme-Binding Protein in Arabidopsis thaliana

Heme plays an active role in primary plant metabolic pathways as well as in stress signaling. In this study, we characterized the predicted heme-binding protein SOUL4. Proteomics evidence suggests that SOUL4 is a component of Arabidopsis plastoglobules (PGs, chloroplast lipid droplets). SOUL4 contains heme-binding motifs and the recombinant protein is shown here to bind heme in vitro. Fluorescence-tagged SOUL4 colocalized with the specific PG marker Fibrillin1A (FBN1A) in transiently transformed Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. In addition, SOUL4 cofractionated with another PG marker Fibrillin2 (FBN2) in sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation experiments. In vitro kinase experiments revealed that SOUL4 is phosphorylated by a yet unknown chloroplast protein kinase. Our data demonstrate that SOUL4 is a bona fide PG protein and may function in heme-buffering in the chloroplast.

Channelrhodopsin-1 Phosphorylation Changes with Phototactic Behavior and Responds to Physiological Stimuli in Chlamydomonas

The unicellular alga Chlamydomonas (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) exhibits oriented movement responses (phototaxis) to light over more than three log units of intensity. Phototaxis thus depends on the cell's ability to adjust the sensitivity of its photoreceptors to ambient light conditions. In Chlamydomonas, the photoreceptors for phototaxis are the channelrhodopsins (ChR)1 and ChR2; these light-gated cation channels are located in the plasma membrane. Although ChRs are widely used in optogenetic studies, little is known about ChR signaling in algae. We characterized the in vivo phosphorylation of ChR1. Its reversible phosphorylation occurred within seconds as a graded response to changes in the light intensity and ionic composition of the medium and depended on an elevated cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. Changes in the phototactic sign were accompanied by alterations in the phosphorylation status of ChR1. Furthermore, compared with the wild type, a permanently negative phototactic mutant required higher light intensities to evoke ChR1 phosphorylation. C-terminal truncation of ChR1 disturbed its reversible phosphorylation, whereas it was normal in ChR2-knockout and eyespot-assembly mutants. The identification of phosphosites in regions important for ChR1 function points to their potential regulatory role(s). We propose that multiple ChR1 phosphorylation, regulated via a Ca2+-based feedback loop, is an important component in the adaptation of phototactic sensitivity in Chlamydomonas.

The phosphorylated redox proteome of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: Revealing novel means for regulation of protein structure and function

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are covalent modifications to protein residues which may alter both conformation and activity, thereby modulating signaling and metabolic processes. While PTMs have been largely investigated independently, examination into how different modification interact, or crosstalk, will reveal a more complete understanding of the reciprocity of signaling cascades across numerous pathways. Combinatorial reversible thiol oxidation and phosphorylation in eukaryotes is largely recognized, but rigorous approaches for experimental discovery are underdeveloped. To begin meaningful interrogation of PTM crosstalk in systems biology research, knowledge of targeted proteins must be advanced. Herein, we demonstrate protein-level enrichment of reversibly oxidized proteoforms in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii with subsequent phosphopeptide analysis to determine the extent of phosphorylation in the redox thiol proteome. Label-free quantification was used to quantify 3353 oxidized Cys-sites on 1457 enriched proteins, where sequential phosphopeptide enrichment measured 1094 sites of phosphorylation on 720 proteins with 23% (172 proteins) also identified as reversibly oxidized. Proteins identified with both reversible oxidation and phosphorylation were involved in signaling transduction, ribosome and translation-related machinery, and metabolic pathways. Several redox-modified Calvin-Benson cycle proteins were found phosphorylated and many kinases/phosphatases involved in phosphorylation-dependent photosynthetic state transition and stress-response pathways had sites of reversible oxidation. Identification of redox proteins serves as a crucial element in understanding stress response in photosynthetic organisms and beyond, whereby knowing the ensemble of modifications co-occurring with oxidation highlights novel mechanisms for cellular control.

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Quantified reversible oxidation on protein cysteine residues.

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Sequential phosphopeptide enrichment to define the phosphorylated redox proteome.

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Found >3000 oxidized cysteines and >1000 phosphosites in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

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Co-modified proteins discovered across diverse metabolic and signaling pathways.

Functional proteomics of light-harvesting complex proteins under varying light-conditions in diatoms

Comparative proteome analysis of subcellular compartments like thylakoid membranes and their associated supercomplexes can deliver important in-vivo information on the molecular basis of physiological functions which go far beyond to that what can be learnt from transcriptional-based gene expression studies. For instance, the finding that light intensity influences mainly the relative stoichiometry of subunits could be obtained only by high resolution proteome analysis. The high sensitivity of LC-ESI-MS/MS based proteome analysis allows the determination of proteins in very small subfractions along with their non-labeled semi quantitative analysis. This provides insights in the protein-protein interactions of supercomplexes that are the operative units in intact cells. Here, we have focused on functional proteome approaches for the identification of microalgal light-harvesting complex proteins in chloroplasts and the eyespot in general and in detail for those of diatoms that are exposed to varying light conditions.

Identification and Cloning of Differentially Expressed SOUL and ELIP Genes in Saffron Stigmas Using a Subtractive Hybridization Approach

Using a subtractive hybridization approach, differentially expressed genes involved in the light response in saffron stigmas were identified. Twenty-two differentially expressed transcript-derived fragments were cloned and sequenced. Two of them were highly induced by light and had sequence similarity to early inducible proteins (ELIP) and SOUL heme-binding proteins. Using these sequences, we searched for other family members expressed in saffron stigma. ELIP and SOUL are represented by small gene families in saffron, with four and five members, respectively. The expression of these genes was analyzed during the development of the stigma and in light and dark conditions. ELIP transcripts were detected in all the developmental stages showing much higher expression levels in the developed stigmas of saffron and all were up-regulated by light but at different levels. By contrast, only one SOUL gene was up-regulated by light and was highly expressed in the stigma at anthesis. Both the ELIP and SOUL genes induced by light in saffron stigmas might be associated with the structural changes affecting the chromoplast of the stigma, as a result of light exposure, which promotes the development and increases the number of plastoglobules, specialized in the recruitment of specific proteins, which enables them to act in metabolite synthesis and disposal under changing environmental conditions and developmental stages.

Vision in Plants via Plant-Specific Ocelli?

Although plants are sessile organisms, almost all of their organs move in space and thus require plant-specific senses to find their proper place with respect to their neighbours. Here we discuss recent studies suggesting that plants are able to sense shapes and colours via plant-specific ocelli.

Evolution of the SOUL Heme-Binding Protein Superfamily Across Eukarya

SOUL homologs constitute a heme-binding protein superfamily putatively involved in heme and tetrapyrrole metabolisms associated with a number of physiological processes. Despite their omnipresence across the tree of life and the biochemical characterization of many SOUL members, their functional role and the evolutionary events leading to such remarkable protein repertoire still remain cryptic. To explore SOUL evolution, we apply a computational phylogenetic approach, including a relevant number of SOUL homologs, to identify paralog forms and reconstruct their genealogy across the tree of life and within species. In animal lineages, multiple gene duplication or loss events and paralog functional specializations underlie SOUL evolution from the dawn of ancestral echinoderm and mollusc SOUL forms. In photosynthetic organisms, SOUL evolution is linked to the endosymbiosis events leading to plastid acquisition in eukaryotes. Derivative features, such as the F2L peptide and BH3 domain, evolved in vertebrates and provided innovative functionality to support immune response and apoptosis. The evolution of elements such as the N-terminal protein domain DUF2358, the His42 residue, or the tetrapyrrole heme-binding site is modern, and their functional implications still unresolved. This study represents the first in-depth analysis of SOUL protein evolution and provides novel insights in the understanding of their obscure physiological role.

NDH-1 and NDH-2 Plastoquinone Reductases in Oxygenic Photosynthesis

Oxygenic photosynthesis converts solar energy into chemical energy in the chloroplasts of plants and microalgae as well as in prokaryotic cyanobacteria using a complex machinery composed of two photosystems and both membrane-bound and soluble electron carriers. In addition to the major photosynthetic complexes photosystem II (PSII), cytochrome b6f, and photosystem I (PSI), chloroplasts also contain minor components, including a well-conserved type I NADH dehydrogenase (NDH-1) complex that functions in close relationship with photosynthesis and likewise originated from the endosymbiotic cyanobacterial ancestor. Some plants and many microalgal species have lost plastidial ndh genes and a functional NDH-1 complex during evolution, and studies have suggested that a plastidial type II NADH dehydrogenase (NDH-2) complex substitutes for the electron transport activity of NDH-1. However, although NDH-1 was initially thought to use NAD(P)H as an electron donor, recent research has demonstrated that both chloroplast and cyanobacterial NDH-1s oxidize reduced ferredoxin. We discuss more recent findings related to the biochemical composition and activity of NDH-1 and NDH-2 in relation to the physiology and regulation of photosynthesis, particularly focusing on their roles in cyclic electron flow around PSI, chlororespiration, and acclimation to changing environments.

Algae after dark: mechanisms to cope with anoxic/hypoxic conditions

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a unicellular, soil-dwelling (and aquatic) green alga that has significant metabolic flexibility for balancing redox equivalents and generating ATP when it experiences hypoxic/anoxic conditions. The diversity of pathways available to ferment sugars is often revealed in mutants in which the activities of specific branches of fermentative metabolism have been eliminated; compensatory pathways that have little activity in parental strains under standard laboratory fermentative conditions are often activated. The ways in which these pathways are regulated and integrated have not been extensively explored. In this review, we primarily discuss the intricacies of dark anoxic metabolism in Chlamydomonas, but also discuss aspects of dark oxic metabolism, the utilization of acetate, and the relatively uncharacterized but critical interactions that link chloroplastic and mitochondrial metabolic networks.

Biogenesis of thylakoid membranes

Thylakoids mediate photosynthetic electron transfer and represent one of the most elaborate energy-transducing membrane systems. Despite our detailed knowledge of its structure and function, much remains to be learned about how the machinery is put together. The concerted synthesis and assembly of lipids, proteins and low-molecular-weight cofactors like pigments and transition metal ions require a high level of spatiotemporal coordination. While increasing numbers of assembly factors are being functionally characterized, the principles that govern how thylakoid membrane maturation is organized in space are just starting to emerge. In both cyanobacteria and chloroplasts, distinct production lines for the fabrication of photosynthetic complexes, in particular photosystem II, have been identified. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Chloroplast Biogenesis.

Proteomic Analysis of a Fraction with Intact Eyespots of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Assignment of Protein Methylation

Flagellate green algae possess a visual system, the eyespot. In Chlamydomonas reinhardtii it is situated at the edge of the chloroplast and consists of two carotenoid rich lipid globule layers subtended by thylakoid membranes (TM) that are attached to both chloroplast envelope membranes and a specialized area of the plasma membrane (PM). A former analysis of an eyespot fraction identified 203 proteins. To increase the understanding of eyespot related processes, knowledge of the protein composition of the membranes in its close vicinity is desirable. Here, we present a purification procedure that allows isolation of intact eyespots. This gain in intactness goes, however, hand in hand with an increase of contaminants from other organelles. Proteomic analysis identified 742 proteins. Novel candidates include proteins for eyespot development, retina-related proteins, ion pumps, and membrane-associated proteins, calcium sensing proteins as well as kinases, phosphatases and 14-3-3 proteins. Methylation of proteins at Arg or Lys is known as an important posttranslational modification involved in, e.g., signal transduction. Here, we identify several proteins from eyespot fractions that are methylated at Arg and/or Lys. Among them is the eyespot specific SOUL3 protein that influences the size and position of the eyespot and EYE2, a protein important for its development.

The global phosphoproteome of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii reveals complex organellar phosphorylation in the flagella and thylakoid membrane

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is the most intensively-studied and well-developed model for investigation of a wide-range of microalgal processes ranging from basic development through understanding triacylglycerol production. Although proteomic technologies permit interrogation of these processes at the protein level and efforts to date indicate phosphorylation-based regulation of proteins in C. reinhardtii is essential for its underlying biology, characterization of the C. reinhardtii phosphoproteome has been limited. Herein, we report the richest exploration of the C. reinhardtii proteome to date. Complementary enrichment strategies were used to detect 4588 phosphoproteins distributed among every cellular component in C. reinhardtii. Additionally, we report 18,160 unique phosphopeptides at <1% false discovery rate, which comprise 15,862 unique phosphosites - 98% of which are novel. Given that an estimated 30% of proteins in a eukaryotic cell are subject to phosphorylation, we report the majority of the phosphoproteome (23%) of C. reinhardtii. Proteins in key biological pathways were phosphorylated, including photosynthesis, pigment production, carbon assimilation, glycolysis, and protein and carbohydrate metabolism, and it is noteworthy that hyperphosphorylation was observed in flagellar proteins. This rich data set is available via ProteomeXchange (ID: PXD000783) and will significantly enhance understanding of a range of regulatory mechanisms controlling a variety of cellular process and will serve as a critical resource for the microalgal community.

Phosphoproteomic analysis provides novel insights into stress responses in Phaeodactylum tricornutum, a model diatom

Protein phosphorylation on serine, threonine, and tyrosine (Ser/Thr/Tyr) is well established as a key regulatory posttranslational modification used in signal transduction to control cell growth, proliferation, and stress responses. However, little is known about its extent and function in diatoms. Phaeodactylum tricornutum is a unicellular marine diatom that has been used as a model organism for research on diatom molecular biology. Although more than 1000 protein kinases and phosphatases with specificity for Ser/Thr/Tyr residues have been predicted in P. tricornutum, no phosphorylation event has so far been revealed by classical biochemical approaches. Here, we performed a global phosphoproteomic analysis combining protein/peptide fractionation, TiO(2) enrichment, and LC-MS/MS analyses. In total, we identified 264 unique phosphopeptides, including 434 in vivo phosphorylated sites on 245 phosphoproteins. The phosphorylated proteins were implicated in the regulation of diverse biological processes, including signaling, metabolic pathways, and stress responses. Six identified phosphoproteins were further validated by Western blotting using phospho-specific antibodies. The functions of these proteins are discussed in the context of signal transduction networks in P. tricornutum. Our results advance the current understanding of diatom biology and will be useful for elucidating the phosphor-relay signaling networks in this model diatom.

Origin of β-carotene-rich plastoglobuli in Dunaliella bardawil

The halotolerant microalgae Dunaliella bardawil accumulates under nitrogen deprivation two types of lipid droplets: plastoglobuli rich in β-carotene (βC-plastoglobuli) and cytoplasmatic lipid droplets (CLDs). We describe the isolation, composition, and origin of these lipid droplets. Plastoglobuli contain β-carotene, phytoene, and galactolipids missing in CLDs. The two preparations contain different lipid-associated proteins: major lipid droplet protein in CLD and the Prorich carotene globule protein in βC-plastoglobuli. The compositions of triglyceride (TAG) molecular species, total fatty acids, and sn-1+3 and sn-2 positions in the two lipid pools are similar, except for a small increase in palmitic acid in plastoglobuli, suggesting a common origin. The formation of CLD TAG precedes that of βC-plastoglobuli, reaching a maximum after 48 h of nitrogen deprivation and then decreasing. Palmitic acid incorporation kinetics indicated that, at early stages of nitrogen deprivation, CLD TAG is synthesized mostly from newly formed fatty acids, whereas in βC-plastoglobuli, a large part of TAG is produced from fatty acids of preformed membrane lipids. Electron microscopic analyses revealed that CLDs adhere to chloroplast envelope membranes concomitant with appearance of small βC-plastoglobuli within the chloroplast. Based on these results, we propose that CLDs in D. bardawil are produced in the endoplasmatic reticulum, whereas βC-plastoglobuli are made, in part, from hydrolysis of chloroplast membrane lipids and in part, by a continual transfer of TAG or fatty acids derived from CLD.

Algal photoreceptors: in vivo functions and potential applications

Many algae, particularly microalgae, possess a sophisticated light-sensing system including photoreceptors and light-modulated signaling pathways to sense environmental information and secure the survival in a rapidly changing environment. Over the last couple of years, the multifaceted world of algal photobiology has enriched our understanding of the light absorption mechanisms and in vivo function of photoreceptors. Moreover, specific light-sensitive modules have already paved the way for the development of optogenetic tools to generate light switches for precise and spatial control of signaling pathways in individual cells and even in complex biological systems.

The heme-binding protein SOUL3 of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii influences size and position of the eyespot

The flagellated green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has a primitive visual system, the eyespot. It is situated at the cells equator and allows the cell to phototax. In a previous proteomic analysis of the eyespot, the SOUL3 protein was identified among 202 proteins. Here, we investigate the properties and functions of SOUL3. Heterologously expressed SOUL3 is able to bind specifically to hemin. In C. reinhardtii, SOUL3 is expressed at a constant level over the diurnal cycle, but forms protein complexes that differ in size during day and night phases. SOUL3 is primarily localized in the eyespot and it is situated in the pigment globule layer thereof. This is in contrast to the channelrhodopsin photoreceptors, which are localized in the plasma membrane region of the eyespot. Knockdown lines with a significantly reduced SOUL3 level are characterized by mislocalized eyespots, a decreased eyespot size, and alterations in phototactic behavior. Mislocalizations were either anterior or posterior and did not affect association with acetylated microtubules of the daughter four-membered rootlet. Our data suggest that SOUL3 is involved in the organization and placement of the eyespot within the cell.

Post-translational events and modifications regulating plant enzymes involved in isoprenoid precursor biosynthesis

Identification of regulatory enzymes is fundamental for engineering metabolic pathways such as the isoprenoid one. All too often, investigation of gene expression remains the major trend in unraveling regulation mechanisms of the isoprenoid cytosolic mevalonate and the plastid-localized methylerythritol phosphate metabolic pathways. But such metabolic regulatory enzymes are frequently multilevel-regulated, especially at a post-translational level. A prominent example is the endoplasmic reticulum-bound 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase catalyzing the synthesis of mevalonic acid. Despite the discovery and the intense efforts made to understand regulation of the methylerythritol phosphate pathway, this enzyme remains a leading player in the regulation of the whole isoprenoid pathway. Strict correlation between this enzyme's gene expression, protein level and enzyme activity is not observed, thus confirming multilevel-regulation. In this context, besides post-translational modifications of proteins, we have to consider feedback of metabolic flow and allosteric regulation, alternative protein structures, targeted proteolysis and/or redox regulation. Such multilevel-regulation processes deliver a range of benefits including rapid response to environmental and physiological challenges or metabolic fluctuations. This review specially emphasizes essential functions of these post-translational events that permit the close regulation of key enzymes involved in plant isoprenoid precursor biosynthesis.

Phototropin influence on eyespot development and regulation of phototactic behavior in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

The eyespot of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a light-sensitive organelle important for phototactic orientation of the alga. Here, we found that eyespot size is strain specific and downregulated in light. In a strain in which the blue light photoreceptor phototropin was deleted by homologous recombination, the light regulation of the eyespot size was affected. We restored this dysfunction in different phototropin complementation experiments. Complementation with the phototropin kinase fragment reduced the eyespot size, independent of light. Interestingly, overexpression of the N-terminal light, oxygen or voltage sensing domains (LOV1+LOV2) alone also affected eyespot size and phototaxis, suggesting that aside from activation of the kinase domain, they fulfill an independent signaling function in the cell. Moreover, phototropin is involved in adjusting the level of channelrhodopsin-1, the dominant primary receptor for phototaxis within the eyespot. Both the level of channelrhodopsin-1 at the onset of illumination and its steady state level during the light period are downregulated by phototropin, whereas the level of channelrhodopsin-2 is not significantly altered. Furthermore, a light intensity-dependent formation of a C-terminal truncated phototropin form was observed. We propose that phototropin is a light regulator of phototaxis that desensitizes the eyespot when blue light intensities increase.

The proteome of copper, iron, zinc, and manganese micronutrient deficiency in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Trace metals such as copper, iron, zinc, and manganese play important roles in several biochemical processes, including respiration and photosynthesis. Using a label-free, quantitative proteomics strategy (MS(E)), we examined the effect of deficiencies in these micronutrients on the soluble proteome of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. We quantified >10(3) proteins with abundances within a dynamic range of 3 to 4 orders of magnitude and demonstrated statistically significant changes in ~200 proteins in each metal-deficient growth condition relative to nutrient-replete media. Through analysis of Pearson's coefficient, we also examined the correlation between protein abundance and transcript abundance (as determined via RNA-Seq analysis) and found moderate correlations under all nutritional states. Interestingly, in a subset of transcripts known to significantly change in abundance in metal-replete and metal-deficient conditions, the correlation to protein abundance is much stronger. Examples of new discoveries highlighted in this work include the accumulation of O(2) labile, anaerobiosis-related enzymes (Hyd1, Pfr1, and Hcp2) in copper-deficient cells; co-variation of Cgl78/Ycf54 and coprogen oxidase; the loss of various stromal and lumenal photosynthesis-related proteins, including plastocyanin, in iron-limited cells; a large accumulation (from undetectable amounts to over 1,000 zmol/cell) of two COG0523 domain-containing proteins in zinc-deficient cells; and the preservation of photosynthesis proteins in manganese-deficient cells despite known losses in photosynthetic function in this condition.

PredAlgo: a new subcellular localization prediction tool dedicated to green algae

The unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a prime model for deciphering processes occurring in the intracellular compartments of the photosynthetic cell. Organelle-specific proteomic studies have started to delineate its various subproteomes, but sequence-based prediction software is necessary to assign proteins subcellular localizations at whole genome scale. Unfortunately, existing tools are oriented toward land plants and tend to mispredict the localization of nuclear-encoded algal proteins, predicting many chloroplast proteins as mitochondrion targeted. We thus developed a new tool called PredAlgo that predicts intracellular localization of those proteins to one of three intracellular compartments in green algae: the mitochondrion, the chloroplast, and the secretory pathway. At its core, a neural network, trained using carefully curated sets of C. reinhardtii proteins, divides the N-terminal sequence into overlapping 19-residue windows and scores the probability that they belong to a cleavable targeting sequence for one of the aforementioned organelles. A targeting prediction is then deduced for the protein, and a likely cleavage site is predicted based on the shape of the scoring function along the N-terminal sequence. When assessed on an independent benchmarking set of C. reinhardtii sequences, PredAlgo showed a highly improved discrimination capacity between chloroplast- and mitochondrion-localized proteins. Its predictions matched well the results of chloroplast proteomics studies. When tested on other green algae, it gave good results with Chlorophyceae and Trebouxiophyceae but tended to underpredict mitochondrial proteins in Prasinophyceae. Approximately 18% of the nuclear-encoded C. reinhardtii proteome was predicted to be targeted to the chloroplast and 15% to the mitochondrion.

Diversity of Chlamydomonas channelrhodopsins

Channelrhodopsins act as photoreceptors for control of motility behavior in flagellates and are widely used as genetically targeted tools to optically manipulate the membrane potential of specific cell populations ("optogenetics"). The first two channelrhodopsins were obtained from the model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (CrChR1 and CrChR2). By homology cloning we identified three new channelrhodopsin sequences from the same genus, CaChR1, CyChR1 and CraChR2, from C. augustae, C. yellowstonensis and C. raudensis, respectively. CaChR1 and CyChR1 were functionally expressed in HEK293 cells, where they acted as light-gated ion channels similar to CrChR1. However, both, which are similar to each other, differed from CrChR1 in current kinetics, inactivation, light intensity dependence, spectral sensitivity and dependence on the external pH. These results show that extensive channelrhodopsin diversity exists even within the same genus, Chlamydomonas. The maximal spectral sensitivity of CaChR1 was at 520 nm at pH 7.4, about 40 nm redshifted as compared to that of CrChR1 under the same conditions. CaChR1 was successfully expressed in Pichia pastoris and exhibited an absorption spectrum identical to the action spectrum of CaChR1-generated photocurrents. The redshifted spectra and the lack of fast inactivation in CaChR1- and CyChR1-generated currents are features desirable for optogenetics applications.

Application of phosphoproteomics to find targets of casein kinase 1 in the flagellum of chlamydomonas

The green biflagellate alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii serves as model for studying structural and functional features of flagella. The axoneme of C. reinhardtii anchors a network of kinases and phosphatases that control motility. One of them, Casein Kinase 1 (CK1), is known to phosphorylate the Inner Dynein Arm I1 Intermediate Chain 138 (IC138), thereby regulating motility. CK1 is also involved in regulating the circadian rhythm of phototaxis and is relevant for the formation of flagella. By a comparative phosphoproteome approach, we determined phosphoproteins in the flagellum that are targets of CK1. Thereby, we applied the specific CK1 inhibitor CKI-7 that causes significant changes in the flagellum phosphoproteome and reduces the swimming velocity of the cells. In the CKI-7-treated cells, 14 phosphoproteins were missing compared to the phosphoproteome of untreated cells, including IC138, and four additional phosphoproteins had a reduced number of phosphorylation sites. Notably, inhibition of CK1 causes also novel phosphorylation events, indicating that it is part of a kinase network. Among them, Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 is of special interest, because it is involved in the phosphorylation of key clock components in flies and mammals and in parallel plays an important role in the regulation of assembly in the flagellum.

A raison d'être for two distinct pathways in the early steps of plant isoprenoid biosynthesis?

When compared to other organisms, plants are atypical with respect to isoprenoid biosynthesis: they utilize two distinct and separately compartmentalized pathways to build up isoprene units. The co-existence of these pathways in the cytosol and in plastids might permit the synthesis of many vital compounds, being essential for a sessile organism. While substrate exchange across membranes has been shown for a variety of plant species, lack of complementation of strong phenotypes, resulting from inactivation of either the cytosolic pathway (growth and development defects) or the plastidial pathway (pigment bleaching), seems to be surprising at first sight. Hundreds of isoprenoids have been analyzed to determine their biosynthetic origins. It can be concluded that in angiosperms, under standard growth conditions, C₂₀-phytyl moieties, C₃₀-triterpenes and C₄₀-carotenoids are made nearly exclusively within compartmentalized pathways, while mixed origins are widespread for other types of isoprenoid-derived molecules. It seems likely that this coexistence is essential for the interaction of plants with their environment. A major purpose of this review is to summarize such observations, especially within an ecological and functional context and with some emphasis on regulation. This latter aspect still requires more work and present conclusions are preliminary, although some general features seem to exist.

Dynamics of post-translational modifications and protein stability in the stroma of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii chloroplasts

The proteome of any system is a dynamic entity dependent on the intracellular concentration of the entire set of expressed proteins. In turn, this whole protein concentration will be reliant on the stability/turnover of each protein as dictated by their relative rates of synthesis and degradation. In this study, we have investigated the dynamics of the stromal proteome in the model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by characterizing the half-life of the whole set of proteins. 2-DE stromal proteins profiling was set up and coupled with MS analyses. These identifications featuring an average of 26% sequence coverage and eight non-redundant peptides per protein have been obtained for 600 independent samples related to 253 distinct spots. An interactive map of the global stromal proteome, of 274 distinct protein variants is now available on-line at http://www.isv.cnrs-gif.fr/gel2dv2/. N-α-terminal-Acetylation (NTA) was noticed to be the most frequently detectable post-translational modification, and new experimental data related to the chloroplastic transit peptide cleavage site was obtained. Using this data set supplemented with series of pulse-chase experiments, elements directing the relationship between half-life and N-termini were analyzed. Positive correlation between NTA and protein half-life suggests that NTA could contribute to protein stabilization in the stroma.

Proteomic analysis of hydrogen photoproduction in sulfur-deprived Chlamydomonas cells

The green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a model organism to study H(2) metabolism in photosynthetic eukaryotes. To understand the molecular mechanism of H(2) metabolism, we used 2-DE coupled with MALDI-TOF and MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS to investigate proteomic changes of Chlamydomonas cells that undergo sulfur-depleted H(2) photoproduction process. In this report, we obtained 2-D PAGE soluble protein profiles of Chlamydomonas at three time points representing different phases leading to H(2) production. We found over 105 Coomassie-stained protein spots, corresponding to 82 unique gene products, changed in abundance throughout the process. Major changes included photosynthetic machinery, protein biosynthetic apparatus, molecular chaperones, and 20S proteasomal components. A number of proteins related to sulfate, nitrogen and acetate assimilation, and antioxidative reactions were also changed significantly. Other proteins showing alteration during the sulfur-depleted H(2) photoproduction process were proteins involved in cell wall and flagella metabolisms. In addition, among these differentially expressed proteins, 11 were found to be predicted proteins without functional annotation in the Chlamydomonas genome database. The results of this proteomic analysis provide new insight into molecular basis of H(2) photoproduction in Chlamydomonas under sulfur depletion.

How the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii keeps time

The unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has two flagella and a primitive visual system, the eyespot apparatus, which allows the cell to phototax. About 40 years ago, it was shown that the circadian clock controls its phototactic movement. Since then, several circadian rhythms such as chemotaxis, cell division, UV sensitivity, adherence to glass, or starch metabolism have been characterized. The availability of its entire genome sequence along with homology studies and the analysis of several sub-proteomes render C. reinhardtii as an excellent eukaryotic model organism to study its circadian clock at different levels of organization. Previous studies point to several potential photoreceptors that may be involved in forwarding light information to entrain its clock. However, experimental data are still missing toward this end. In the past years, several components have been functionally characterized that are likely to be part of the oscillatory machinery of C. reinhardtii since alterations in their expression levels or insertional mutagenesis of the genes resulted in defects in phase, period, or amplitude of at least two independent measured rhythms. These include several RHYTHM OF CHLOROPLAST (ROC) proteins, a CONSTANS protein (CrCO) that is involved in parallel in photoperiodic control, as well as the two subunits of the circadian RNA-binding protein CHLAMY1. The latter is also tightly connected to circadian output processes. Several candidates including a significant number of ROCs, CrCO, and CASEIN KINASE1 whose alterations of expression affect the circadian clock have in parallel severe effects on the release of daughter cells, flagellar formation, and/or movement, indicating that these processes are interconnected in C. reinhardtii. The challenging task for the future will be to get insights into the clock network and to find out how the clock-related factors are functionally connected. In this respect, system biology approaches will certainly contribute in the future to improve our understanding of the C. reinhardtii clock machinery.

Analysis of flagellar phosphoproteins from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Cilia and flagella are cell organelles that are highly conserved throughout evolution. For many years, the green biflagellate alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has served as a model for examination of the structure and function of its flagella, which are similar to certain mammalian cilia. Proteome analysis revealed the presence of several kinases and protein phosphatases in these organelles. Reversible protein phosphorylation can control ciliary beating, motility, signaling, length, and assembly. Despite the importance of this posttranslational modification, the identities of many ciliary phosphoproteins and knowledge about their in vivo phosphorylation sites are still missing. Here we used immobilized metal affinity chromatography to enrich phosphopeptides from purified flagella and analyzed them by mass spectrometry. One hundred forty-one phosphorylated peptides were identified, belonging to 32 flagellar proteins. Thereby, 126 in vivo phosphorylation sites were determined. The flagellar phosphoproteome includes different structural and motor proteins, kinases, proteins with protein interaction domains, and many proteins whose functions are still unknown. In several cases, a dynamic phosphorylation pattern and clustering of phosphorylation sites were found, indicating a complex physiological status and specific control by reversible protein phosphorylation in the flagellum.

Sub-proteome analysis in the green flagellate alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

In the past years, research on the flagellate unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has entered a new era based on the availability of its complete genome. Since this green alga can be grown relatively easy in a short time-range, sufficient biological material is available to efficiently establish biochemical purification procedures of sub-cellular fractions. Combined with the available genome sequences, this paved the way to perform analysis of specific sub-proteomes by mass spectrometry. In this review, several approaches that provided comprehensive lists of components of certain sub-cellular compartments and their biological relevance will be described. These include proteins of chloroplast ribosomes, of flagella, of the eyespot as well as posttranslational and environmentally modified sub-proteomes. The power of such proteome approaches lies in the identification of novel components and modifications of a given sub-proteome that have not been discovered before. Information is usually gained at a large scale and is very valuable to further understand biological processes of a given cellular sub-compartment. But clearly the arduous task has then to be performed to further analyze the function of specific proteins/genes by RNA interference technology, mutant analyses or methods for identifying the protein interaction network within a sub-proteome.

Photoorientation in photosynthetic flagellates

Motile microorganisms react to a host of external stimuli, including light, gravity, the magnetic field of the Earth as well as thermal and chemical gradients, in their habitat in order to select a niche suitable for survival and reproduction. Several forms of light-induced behavior have been described in microorganisms including phototaxis, photophobic responses, and photokinesis. Other functions of photoreceptors are regulation of development and entrainment of circadian rhythms. Basically five types of photoreceptor molecules have been identified in microorganisms: BLUF proteins, cryptochromes, phototropins, phytochromes, and rhodopsins. The photoreceptors can control light-activated ion channels or activated enzymes. The responses to the different stimuli in their habitat can be connected in a complex network of signal transduction chains.

The green algal eyespot apparatus: a primordial visual system and more?

Most flagellate green algae exhibiting phototaxis posses a singular specialized light sensitive organelle, the eyespot apparatus (EA). Its design principles are similar in all green algae and produce, in conjunction with the movement pattern of the cell, a highly directional optical device. It enables an oriented movement response with respect to the direction and intensity of light. The functional EA involves local specializations of different compartments (plasma membrane, cytosol, and chloroplast) and utilizes specialized microbial-type rhodopsins, which act as directly light-gated ion channels. Due to their elaborate structures and the presence of retinal-based photoreceptors in some lineages, algal EAs are thought to play an important role in the evolution of photoreception and are thus not only of interest to plant biologists. In green algae considerable progress in the molecular dissection of components of this primordial visual system has been made by genetic and proteomic approaches in recent years. This review summarizes general aspects of the green algal EA as well as recent progress in the identification of proteins related to it. Further, novel data supporting a link between eyespot globules and plastoglobules will be presented and potential additional roles of the EA besides those in photoreception will be discussed.

Characterization of Nda2, a plastoquinone-reducing type II NAD(P)H dehydrogenase in chlamydomonas chloroplasts

Electron transfer pathways associated to oxygenic photosynthesis, including cyclic electron flow around photosystem I and chlororespiration, rely on non-photochemical reduction of plastoquinones (PQs). In higher plant chloroplasts, a bacterial-like NDH complex homologous to complex I is involved in PQ reduction, but such a complex is absent from Chlamydomonas plastids where a type II NAD(P)H dehydrogenase activity has been proposed to operate. With the aim to elucidate the nature of the enzyme-supporting non-photochemical reduction of PQs, one of the type II NAD(P)H dehydrogenases identified in the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii genome (Nda2) was produced as a recombinant protein in Escherichia coli and further characterized. As many type II NAD(P)H dehydrogenases, Nda2 uses NADH as a preferential substrate, but in contrast to the eukaryotic enzymes described so far, contains non-covalently bound FMN as a cofactor. When expressed at a low level, Nda2 complements growth of an E. coli lacking both NDH-1 and NDH-2, but is toxic at high expression levels. Using an antibody raised against the recombinant protein and based on its mass spectrometric identification, we show that Nda2 is localized in thylakoid membranes. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements performed on thylakoid membranes show that Nda2 is able to interact with thylakoid membranes of C. reinhardtii by reducing PQs from exogenous NADH or NADPH. We discuss the possible involvement of Nda2 in cyclic electron flow around PSI, chlororespiration, and hydrogen production.

A shotgun phosphoproteomics analysis of embryos in germinated maize seeds

To better understand the role that reversible protein phosphorylation plays in seed germination, we initiated a phosphoproteomic investigation of embryos of germinated maize seeds. A total of 776 proteins including 39 kinases, 16 phosphatases, and 33 phosphoproteins containing 36 precise in vivo phosphorylation sites were identified. All the phosphorylation sites identified, with the exception of the phosphorylation site on HSP22, have not been reported previously (Lund et al. in J Biol Chem, 276, 29924-29929, 2001). Assayed with QRT-PCR, the transcripts of ten kinase genes were found to be dramatically up-regulated during seed germination and those of four phosphatase genes were up-regulated after germination, which indicated that reversible protein phosphorylation occurred and complex regulating networks were activated during this period. At least one-third of these phosphoproteins are key components involved in biological processes which relate to seed germination, such as DNA repair, gene transcription, RNA splicing and protein translation, suggesting that protein phosphorylation plays an important role in seed germination. As far as we know, this is the first phosphoproteomic study on a monocot and it will lay a solid foundation for further study of the molecular mechanisms of seed germination and seedling development.

The power of functional proteomics: Components of the green algal eyespot and its light signaling pathway(s)

One of the key modifications of proteins that can affect protein functions, activities, stabilities, localizations and interactions, represents phosphorylation. For functional phosphoproteomics, phosphopeptides are enriched from isolated sub-cellular fractions of interest and analyzed by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. Such an approach was recently applied to the eyespot apparatus of the green flagellate alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, which represents a primordial visual system. Thereby, 32 phosphoproteins of known eyespot proteins along with 52 precise in vivo phosphorylation sites were identified. They include enzymes of carotenoid and fatty acid metabolism, (putative) light signaling components and proteins with unknown function. Strikingly, the two unique green algal photoreceptors, channelrhodopsin-1 and -2 were found to be phosphorylated in the cytoplasmic loop next to their seven transmembrane regions in a similar distance as observed in vertebrate rhodopsins.