Biological activity and dimerization state of modified phytochrome A proteins

To assess potential physical interactions of type I phyA with the type II phyB-phyE phytochromes in vivo, transgenes expressing fusion gene forms of phyA were introduced into the Arabidopsis phyA mutant background. When a single c-Myc (myc) epitope is added to either the N- or C-terminus of phyA, the constructs completely complement phyA mutant phenotypes. However, addition of larger tags, such as six consecutive myc epitopes or the yellow fluorescent protein sequence, result in fusion proteins that show reduced activity. All the tagged phyA proteins migrate as dimers on native gels and co-immunoprecipitation reveals no binding interaction of phyA to any of the type II phys in the dark or under continuous far-red light. Dimers of the phyA 1–615 amino acid N-terminal photosensory domain (NphyA), generated in vivo with a yeast GAL4 dimerization domain and attached to a constitutive nuclear localization sequence, are expressed at a low level and, although they cause a cop phenotype in darkness and mediate a very low fluence response to pulses of FR, have no activity under continuous FR. It is concluded that type I phyA in its Pr form is present in plants predominantly or exclusively as a homodimer and does not stably interact with type II phys in a dimer-to-dimer manner. In addition, its activity in mediating response to continuous FR is sensitive to modification of its N- or C-terminus.