Light regulation of metabolic pathways in fungi

Light represents a major carrier of information in nature. The molecular machineries translating its electromagnetic energy (photons) into the chemical language of cells transmit vital signals for adjustment of virtually every living organism to its habitat. Fungi react to illumination in various ways, and we found that they initiate considerable adaptations in their metabolic pathways upon growth in light or after perception of a light pulse. Alterations in response to light have predominantly been observed in carotenoid metabolism, polysaccharide and carbohydrate metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, nucleotide and nucleoside metabolism, and in regulation of production of secondary metabolites. Transcription of genes is initiated within minutes, abundance and activity of metabolic enzymes are adjusted, and subsequently, levels of metabolites are altered to cope with the harmful effects of light or to prepare for reproduction, which is dependent on light in many cases. This review aims to give an overview on metabolic pathways impacted by light and to illustrate the physiological significance of light for fungi. We provide a basis for assessment whether a given metabolic pathway might be subject to regulation by light and how these properties can be exploited for improvement of biotechnological processes

Photosensitivity of respiration in Neurospora mitochondria. A protective role for carotenoid.

1. The effect of visible light on respiratory activity was studied in two strains of Neurospora crassa, one a wild-type strain able to synthesize carotenoid and the other an albino mutant lacking carotenogenic activity. Light had no effect on growth under the conditions studied, but inhibited respiration of hyphal suspensions. the degree of inhibition being dependent on the carotenoid content of the hyphae. 2. In studies of respiration of isolated mitochondria, three types of photosensitive site were detected. These were the flavo-protein dehydrogenases themselves, a site separate from the latter also associated with the dehydrogenase but re-activatable by treatment with a thiol reagent, and the respiratory quinone, ubiquinone. Cytochrome oxidase, previously reported as photosensitive from many sources, was not appreciably affected by light in these preparations. 3. The degree of inactivation of the respiratory quinone was dependent on the amount of carotenoid in the preparation, high concentrations of the pigment in the mitochondrial membranes providing substantial protection against the effect of light. 4. Separation of the inner and outer membranes of mitochondria showed that under conditions where carotenoid appears to protect quinone, significant amounts are found in the inner mitochondrial membrane, oterhwise carotenoid is restricted to the outer membrane