Cobalamin's (Vitamin B12) Surprising Function as a Photoreceptor

Zhuo Cheng; Haruki Yamamoto; Carl E Bauer

doi:10.1016/j.tibs.2016.05.002

Cobalamin's (Vitamin B12) Surprising Function as a Photoreceptor

Trends Biochem Sci. 2016 Aug;41(8):647-650. doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2016.05.002. Epub 2016 May 21.

Authors

Zhuo Cheng¹, Haruki Yamamoto¹, Carl E Bauer²

Affiliations

¹ Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
² Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA. Electronic address: bauer@indiana.edu.

Abstract

Cobalamin (Vitamin B12) is an adenosyl- or methyl-donating cofactor for many enzymes, yet many proteins with unknown or nonenzymatic function also contain B12-binding domains. Recent studies show that light excitation energy can promote covalent linkage of B12 to transcription factors with this linkage, affecting gene expression. Thus, B12 now has a newly described regulatory function. Here, our bioinformatics analysis reveals other transcription factors, photoreceptors, kinases, and oxygen sensors that harbor a B12-binding domain that could also regulate activity in response to light absorption.

Keywords: light-regulated gene regulation; photobiology.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Computational Biology
Light Signal Transduction*
Molecular Conformation
Vitamin B 12 / chemistry
Vitamin B 12 / metabolism*
Vitamin B 12 / radiation effects*

Substances

Vitamin B 12

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding