Photoprotective mechanisms in Elysia species hosting Acetabularia chloroplasts shed light on host-donor compatibility in photosynthetic sea slugs.

Sacoglossa sea slugs have garnered attention due to their ability to retain intracellular functional chloroplasts from algae, while degrading other algal cell components. While protective mechanisms that limit oxidative damage under excessive light are well documented in plants and algae, the photoprotective strategies employed by these photosynthetic sea slugs remain unresolved. Species within the genus Elysia are known to retain chloroplasts from various algal sources, but the extent to which the metabolic processes from the donor algae can be sustained by the sea slugs is unclear. By comparing responses to high-light conditions through kinetic analyses, molecular techniques, and biochemical assays, this study shows significant differences between two photosynthetic Elysia species with chloroplasts derived from the green alga Acetabularia acetabulum. Notably, Elysia timida displayed remarkable tolerance to high-light stress and sophisticated photoprotective mechanisms such as an active xanthophyll cycle, efficient D1 protein recycling, accumulation of heat-shock proteins and α-tocopherol. In contrast, Elysia crispata exhibited absence or limitations in these photoprotective strategies. Our findings emphasize the intricate relationship between the host animal and the stolen chloroplasts, highlighting different capacities to protect the photosynthetic organelle from oxidative damage.

Revealing the polar lipidome, pigment profiles, and antioxidant activity of the giant unicellular green alga, Acetabularia acetabulum.

Marine algae are one of the most important sources of high-value compounds such as polar lipids, omega-3 fatty acids, photosynthetic pigments, or secondary metabolites with interesting features for different niche markets. Acetabularia acetabulum is a macroscopic green single-celled alga, with a single nucleus hosted in the rhizoid. This alga is one of the most studied dasycladalean species and represents an important model system in cell biology studies. However, its lipidome and pigment profile have been overlooked. Total lipid extracts were analyzed using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (HILIC-HRMS), tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The antioxidant capacity of lipid extracts was tested using DPPH and ABTS assays. Lipidomics identified 16 polar lipid classes, corresponding to glycolipids, betaine lipids, phospholipids, and sphingolipids, with a total of 191 lipid species, some of them recognized by their bioactivities. The most abundant polar lipids were glycolipids. Lipid classes less studied in algae were identified, such as diacylglyceryl-carboxyhydroxymethylcholine (DGCC) or hexosylceramide (HexCer). The pigment profile of A. acetabulum comprised carotenoids (17.19%), namely cis-neoxanthin, violaxanthin, lutein and ß,ß-carotene, and chlorophylls a and b (82.81%). A. acetabulum lipid extracts showed high antioxidant activity promoting a 50% inhibition (IC50 ) with concentrations of 57.91 ± 1.20 µg · mL-1 (438.18 ± 8.95 µmol Trolox · g-1 lipid) in DPPH and 20.55 ± 0.60 µg · mL-1 in ABTS assays (918.56 ± 27.55 µmol Trolox · g-1 lipid). This study demonstrates the potential of A. acetabulum as a source of natural bioactive molecules and antioxidant compounds.

Genome sequencing and de novo assembly of the giant unicellular alga Acetabularia acetabulum using droplet MDA.

The macroscopic single-celled green alga Acetabularia acetabulum has been a model system in cell biology for more than a century. However, no genomic information is available from this species. Since the alga has a long life cycle, is difficult to grow in dense cultures, and has an estimated diploid genome size of almost 2 Gb, obtaining sufficient genomic material for genome sequencing is challenging. Here, we have attempted to overcome these challenges by amplifying genomic DNA using multiple displacement amplification (MDA) combined with microfluidics technology to distribute the amplification reactions across thousands of microscopic droplets. By amplifying and sequencing DNA from five single cells we were able to recover an estimated ~ 7-11% of the total genome, providing the first draft of the A. acetabulum genome. We highlight challenges associated with genome recovery and assembly of MDA data due to biases arising during genome amplification, and hope that our study can serve as a reference for future attempts on sequencing the genome from non-model eukaryotes.

Manejo del quiste óseo aneurismático acetabular con doxiciclina intralesional: a propósito de un caso / Acetabular aneurysmal bone cyst treated with intralesional doxycycline: a case report

Los quistes óseos aneurismáticos (QOA) son tumores benignos, expansivos, osteolíticos y localmente agresivos que se localizan principalmente en la metáfisis de los huesos largos. Aparecen predominantemente en niños y adultos jóvenes. La eliminación del QOA mediante cirugía conlleva altas tasas de recurrencia por lo que se emplean otras técnicas no quirúrgicas como las inyecciones intralesionales con doxiciclina. Se presenta el caso clínico de un niño de 7 años diagnosticado de quiste óseo aneurismático acetabular que fue tratado exitosamente con una dosis de 200 mg de doxiciclina intralesional previa aspiración de las cavidades para despresurizarlas. El paciente mostró reducción de la lesión y mejoría clínica tras la intervención, sin manifestaciones de recurrencia tras 34 semanas de seguimiento. (AU)

Aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) are benign, expansile, osteolytic and locally aggressive tumors. Typically, ABCs arise in metaphysis of long bones. They often appear in children and young adults. Wide en bloc resection is associated with high recurrence rates. Other non-surgical treatment methods include intralesional injections of doxycycline. We present the case of a 7-year-old male with acetabular ABC who was successfully treated with 200 mg of intralesional doxycycline. During surgery, one needle was used for aspiration to lower the injection pressure. At 34 weeks follow up, we observed a lesion volume reduction and the patient presented an improvement of symptoms without recurrence. (AU)

UHMWPE-MWCNT-nHA based hybrid trilayer nanobiocomposite: Processing approach, physical properties, stem/bone cell functionality, and blood compatibility.

The development of polymeric nanocomposites for biomedical applications remains a major challenge in terms of tailored addition of nanoparticles to realize the simultaneous enhancement of fracture resistance and cell/blood compatibility. To address this, the present work has been planned to determine whether small addition of surface functionalized multiwalled-carbon-nanotube, MWCNT (<1.5 wt%) and egg-shell derived nanosized hydroxyapatite, nHA (<10 wt%) to ultrahigh-molecular-weight-polyethylene (UHMWPE) can significantly improve the physical properties as well as biocompatibility. The difference in mouse osteoblast and human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSc) proliferation has been validated using both the monolithic composite and a trilayered composite with two different UHMWPE nanocomposites on either face with pure polymer at the middle. The combination of rheology and micro-CT with fractography reveals the homogeneous dispersion of nanofillers, leading to mechanical property enhancement. The quantitative analysis of cell viability and cell spreading by immunocytochemistry method, using vinculin and vimentin expression, establish significant cytocompatibility with hMSc and osteoblast cells onto the trilayer hybrid nanobiocomposite substrates. The hemocompatibility of the investigated composites under the controlled flow of rabbit blood in a microfluidic device reveals the signature of reduced thrombogenesis with reduction of platelet activation on UHMWPE nanocomposite w.r.t. unreinforced UHMWPE. An attempt has been made to discuss the blood compatibility results in the backdrop of the bovine serum albumin adsorption kinetics. Summarizing, the present study establishes that the twin requirement of mechanical property and cyto/hemo-compatibility can be potentially realized in developing trilayer composites in UHMWPE-nHA-MWCNT system.

Imaging Neuronal Activity with Fast and Sensitive Red-Shifted Electrochromic FRET Indicators.

Genetically encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs) allow optical recording of neuronal activities with high spatial resolution. While most existing GEVIs emit in the green range, red-shifted GEVIs are highly sought after because they would enable simultaneous stimulation and recording of neuronal activities when paired with optogenetic actuators, or two-color imaging of signaling and neuronal activities when used along with GFP-based indicators. In this study, we present several improved red-shifted GEVIs based on the electrochromic Förster resonance energy transfer (eFRET) between orange/red fluorescent proteins/dyes and rhodopsin mutants. Through structure-guided mutagenesis and cell-based sensitivity screening, we identified a mutant rhodopsin with a single mutation that exhibited more than 2-fold improvement in voltage sensitivity. Notably, this mutation has been independently discovered by Pieribone et al. ( Pieribone, V. A. et al. Nat Methods 2018 , 15 ( 12 ), 1108 - 1116 ). In cultured rat hippocampal neurons, our sensors faithfully reported action potential waveforms and subthreshold activities. We also demonstrated that this mutation could enhance the sensitivity of hybrid indicators, thus providing insights for future development.

Interhelical interactions between D92 and C218 in the cytoplasmic domain regulate proton uptake upon N-decay in the proton transport of Acetabularia rhodopsin II.

Acetabularia rhodopsin II (ARII or Ace2), an outward light-driven algal proton pump found in the giant unicellular marine alga Acetabularia acetabulum, has a unique property in the cytoplasmic (CP) side of its channel. The X-ray crystal structure of ARII in a dark state suggested the formation of an interhelical hydrogen bond between C218ARII and D92ARII, an internal proton donor to the Schiff base (Wada et al., 2011). In this report, we investigated the photocycles of two mutants at position C218ARII: C218AARII which disrupts the interaction with D92ARII, and C218SARII which potentially forms a stronger hydrogen bond. Both mutants exhibited slower photocycles compared to the wild-type pump. Together with several kinetic changes of the photoproducts in the first half of the photocycle, these replacements led to specific retardation of the N-to-O transition in the second half of the photocycle. In addition, measurements of the flash-induced proton uptake and release using a pH-sensitive indium-tin oxide electrode revealed a concomitant delay in the proton uptake. These observations strongly suggest the importance of a native weak hydrogen bond between C218ARII and D92ARII for proper proton translocation in the CP channel during N-decay. A putative role for the D92ARII-C218ARII interhelical hydrogen bond in the function of ARII is discussed.

Hybrid Indicators for Fast and Sensitive Voltage Imaging.

Membrane voltage is an important biophysical signal that underlies intercellular electrical communications. A fluorescent voltage indicator is presented that enables the investigation of electrical signaling at high spatial resolution. The method is built upon the site-specific modification of microbial rhodopsin proteins with organic fluorophores, resulting in a hybrid indicator scaffold that is one of the most sensitive and fastest orange-colored voltage indicators developed to date. We applied this technique to optically map electrical connectivity in cultured cells, which revealed gap junction-mediated long-range coupling that spanned over hundreds of micrometers.

Stage and tissue expression patterns of Schistosoma mansoni venom allergen-like proteins SmVAL 4, 13, 16 and 24.

BACKGROUND: Schistosoma mansoni venom allergen-like protein (SmVAL) is a gene family composed of 29 members divided into group 1 encoding proteins potentially secreted, and group 2 encoding intracellular components. Some members were found to be upregulated in the transition of germ ball - cercariae - day 3 schistosomula, suggesting that group 1 SmVAL proteins are associated with the invasion of the human host, although their functions are not completely established. Recently, we have described the localization of SmVAL7 (group 1) and SmVAL6 (group 2) transcripts in the oesophageal gland and in the oral and ventral suckers of adult parasites, respectively. The expression patterns of the two genes suggest that SmVAL7 protein plays a role in the blood-feeding process while SmVAL6 is associated with the parasite attachment and movement in the vasculature. In this way, searching for additional secreted SmVAL proteins that could be involved in key processes from skin penetration to the beginning of blood-feeding, we investigated the tissue localization of SmVAL4, 13, 16 and 24 by whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH). RESULTS: We report here the localization of group 1 SmVAL4 and 24 transcripts in the pre-acetabular glands of developing germ balls. Time course experiments of in vitro cultured schistosomula after cercariae transformation demonstrated that SmVAL4 protein is secreted during the first 3 h of in vitro culture, correlating with the emptying of acetabular glands as documented by confocal microscopy. In addition, the localization of SmVAL13 transcripts in adult male anterior oesophageal gland suggests that the respective protein may be involved in the first steps of the blood-feeding process. SmVAL16 was localized close to the neural ganglia and requires further investigation. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that SmVAL proteins have localizations that place them in strategic positions to be considered as potential vaccine candidates as some members are exposed to interaction with the immune system and may participate in key processes of mammalian invasion and parasitism establishment.

Ocean acidification bends the mermaid's wineglass.

Ocean acidification lowers the saturation state of calcium carbonate, decreasing net calcification and compromising the skeletons of organisms such as corals, molluscs and algae. These calcified structures can protect organisms from predation and improve access to light, nutrients and dispersive currents. While some species (such as urchins, corals and mussels) survive with decreased calcification, they can suffer from inferior mechanical performance. Here, we used cantilever beam theory to test the hypothesis that decreased calcification would impair the mechanical performance of the green alga Acetabularia acetabulum along a CO2 gradient created by volcanic seeps off Vulcano, Italy. Calcification and mechanical properties declined as calcium carbonate saturation fell; algae at 2283 µatm CO2 were 32% less calcified, 40% less stiff and 40% droopier. Moreover, calcification was not a linear proxy for mechanical performance; stem stiffness decreased exponentially with reduced calcification. Although calcifying organisms can tolerate high CO2 conditions, even subtle changes in calcification can cause dramatic changes in skeletal performance, which may in turn affect key biotic and abiotic interactions.

Structural basis for the slow photocycle and late proton release in Acetabularia rhodopsin I from the marine plant Acetabularia acetabulum.

Although many crystal structures of microbial rhodopsins have been solved, those with sufficient resolution to identify the functional water molecules are very limited. In this study, the Acetabularia rhodopsin I (ARI) protein derived from the marine alga A. acetabulum was synthesized on a large scale by the Escherichia coli cell-free membrane-protein production method, and crystal structures of ARI were determined at the second highest (1.52-1.80 Å) resolution for a microbial rhodopsin, following bacteriorhodopsin (BR). Examinations of the photochemical properties of ARI revealed that the photocycle of ARI is slower than that of BR and that its proton-transfer reactions are different from those of BR. In the present structures, a large cavity containing numerous water molecules exists on the extracellular side of ARI, explaining the relatively low pKa of Glu206(ARI), which cannot function as an initial proton-releasing residue at any pH. An interhelical hydrogen bond exists between Leu97(ARI) and Tyr221(ARI) on the cytoplasmic side, which facilitates the slow photocycle and regulates the pKa of Asp100(ARI), a potential proton donor to the Schiff base, in the dark state.

Mistic-fused expression of algal rhodopsins in Escherichia coli and its photochemical properties.

BACKGROUND: Since algal rhodopsins, the eukaryotic seven-transmembrane proteins, are generally difficult to express in Escherichia coli, eukaryotic cells have been used for heterologous expression. Mistic, a membrane-associated protein that was originally discovered in Bacillus subtilis, has been shown to improve the expression levels of many foreign integral membrane proteins in E. coli when used as a fusion partner linked to the N-terminus of cargo proteins. METHODS: Here, we expressed two algal rhodopsins with N- and C-terminal Mistic domains in E. coli-Acetabularia rhodopsin I (ARI) and Chlamydomonas sensory rhodopsin B (CSRB, channel rhodopsin 2). UV/VIS spectroscopy, pH titration of proton acceptor residue, laser-induced photolysis and electrophysiological measurement were used for investigating important residues in proton transport and spectroscopic characters of the proteins. RESULTS: Protein yield of two algal rhodopsins was enhanced, obtaining 0.12mg of Mistic-ARI and 0.04mg of Mistic-CSRB per liter of culture. Spheroplast expression Mistic-ARI had outward proton-pumping activity, indicating protein functionality. Asp89 of ARI changed its protonation state by light absorption, and Asp100 was important for O(600) formation. Electrophysiology revealed that both residues took part in proton transport. The spectroscopic analyses of Mistic-CSRB revealed its characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Fusion to the membrane-integrating protein Mistic can enhance overexpression of eukaryotic type I rhodopsins in E. coli. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: These findings indicate that Mistic fusion and E. coli expression method could be an effective, low cost technique for studying eukaryotic membrane proteins. This may have useful implications, for example, in studying structural characteristics and optogenetics for rhodopsins.

Is ftsH the key to plastid longevity in sacoglossan slugs?

Plastids sequestered by sacoglossan sea slugs have long been a puzzle. Some sacoglossans feed on siphonaceous algae and can retain the plastids in the cytosol of their digestive gland cells. There, the stolen plastids (kleptoplasts) can remain photosynthetically active in some cases for months. Kleptoplast longevity itself challenges current paradigms concerning photosystem turnover, because kleptoplast photosystems remain active in the absence of nuclear algal genes. In higher plants, nuclear genes are essential for plastid maintenance, in particular, for the constant repair of the D1 protein of photosystem II. Lateral gene transfer was long suspected to underpin slug kleptoplast longevity, but recent transcriptomic and genomic analyses show that no algal nuclear genes are expressed from the slug nucleus. Kleptoplast genomes themselves, however, appear expressed in the sequestered state. Here we present sequence data for the chloroplast genome of Acetabularia acetabulum, the food source of the sacoglossan Elysia timida, which can maintain Acetabularia kleptoplasts in an active state for months. The data reveal what might be the key to sacoglossan kleptoplast longevity: plastids that remain photosynthetically active within slugs for periods of months share the property of encoding ftsH, a D1 quality control protease that is essential for photosystem II repair. In land plants, ftsH is always nuclear encoded, it was transferred to the nucleus from the plastid genome when Charophyta and Embryophyta split. A replenishable supply of ftsH could, in principle, rescue kleptoplasts from D1 photodamage, thereby influencing plastid longevity in sacoglossan slugs.

Interaction with plant transcription factors can mediate nuclear import of phytochrome B.

Phytochromes (phy) are red/far-red-absorbing photoreceptors that regulate the adaption of plant growth and development to changes in ambient light conditions. The nuclear transport of the phytochromes upon light activation is regarded as a key step in phytochrome signaling. Although nuclear import of phyA is regulated by the transport facilitators far red elongated hypocotyl 1 (FHY1) and fhy1-like, an intrinsic nuclear localization signal was proposed to be involved in the nuclear accumulation of phyB. We recently showed that nuclear import of phytochromes can be analyzed in a cell-free system consisting of isolated nuclei of the unicellular green algae Acetabularia acetabulum. We now show that this system is also versatile to elucidate the mechanism of the nuclear transport of phyB. We tested the nuclear transport characteristics of full-length phyB as well as N- and C-terminal phyB fragments in vitro and showed that the nuclear import of phyB can be facilitated by phytochrome-interacting factor 3 (PIF3). In vivo measurements of phyB nuclear accumulation in the absence of PIF1, -3, -4, and -5 indicate that these PIFs are the major transport facilitators during the first hours of deetiolation. Under prolonged irradiations additional factors might be responsible for phyB nuclear transport in the plant.

Photochemistry of Acetabularia rhodopsin II from a marine plant, Acetabularia acetabulum.

Acetabularia rhodopsins are the first microbial rhodopsins discovered in a marine plant organism, Acetabularia acetabulum. Previously, we expressed Acetabularia rhodopsin II (ARII) by a cell-free system from one of two opsin genes in A. acetabulum cDNA and showed that ARII is a light-driven proton pump [Wada, T., et al. (2011) J. Mol. Biol. 411, 986-998]. In this study, the photochemistry of ARII was examined using the flash-photolysis technique, and data were analyzed using a sequential irreversible model. Five photochemically defined intermediates (P(i)) were sufficient to simulate the data. Noticeably, both P(3) and P(4) contain an equilibrium mixture of M, N, and O. Using a transparent indium tin oxide electrode, the photoinduced proton transfer was measured over a wide pH range. Analysis of the pH-dependent proton transfer allowed estimation of the pK(a) values of some amino acid residues. The estimated values were 2.6, 5.9 (or 6.3), 8.4, 9.3, 10.5, and 11.3. These values were assigned as the pK(a) of Asp81 (Asp85(BR)) in the dark, Asp92 (Asp96(BR)) at N, Glu199 (Glu204(BR)) at M, Glu199 in the dark, an undetermined proton-releasing residue at the release, and the pH to start denaturation, respectively. Following this analysis, the proton transfer of ARII is discussed.

Crystal structure of the eukaryotic light-driven proton-pumping rhodopsin, Acetabularia rhodopsin II, from marine alga.

Acetabularia rhodopsin (AR) is a rhodopsin from the marine plant Acetabularia acetabulum. The opsin-encoding gene from A. acetabulum, ARII, was cloned and found to be novel but homologous to that reported previously. ARII is a light-driven proton pump, as demonstrated by the existence of a photo-induced current through Xenopus oocytes expressing ARII. The photochemical reaction of ARII prepared by cell-free protein synthesis was similar to that of bacteriorhodopsin (BR), except for the lack of light-dark adaptation and the different proton release and uptake sequence. The crystal structure determined at 3.2 Å resolution is the first structure of a eukaryotic member of the microbial rhodopsin family. The structure of ARII is similar to that of BR. From the cytoplasmic side to the extracellular side of the proton transfer pathway in ARII, Asp92, a Schiff base, Asp207, Asp81, Arg78, Glu199, and Ser189 are arranged in positions similar to those of the corresponding residues directly involved in proton transfer by BR. The side-chain carboxyl group of Asp92 appears to interact with the sulfhydryl group of Cys218, which is unique to ARII and corresponds to Leu223 of BR and to Asp217 of Anabaena sensory rhodopsin. The orientation of the Arg78 side chain is opposite to the corresponding Arg82 of BR. The putative absence of water molecules around Glu199 and Arg78 may disrupt the formation of the low-barrier hydrogen bond at Glu199, resulting in the "late proton release".

Acetabularia rhodopsin I is a light-stimulated proton pump.

We cloned an intronless, nuclear-encoded opsin gene from an EST library of Acetabularia acetabulum. Acetabularia rhodopsin I (ARI) encodes a protein of 246 amino acids with molecular weight of 27 kDa. ARI was reconstituted in the Xenopus oocyte expression system to characterize its electrophysiological properties utilizing the two-electrode voltage-clamping technique. Oocytes where ARI cRNA was injected displayed outward directed currents in response to light. The maximum action spectrum of ARI was detected at 520 nm green light. Light-stimulated ARI current amplitude was altered by the protons, but not by the other ions in recording solutions, suggesting that the algal rhodopsin is a light-stimulated proton pump. Typical proton-mediated outward current elicited by 520 nm light was characterized with two phases of non-inactivating outward current following initial transient current. Taken together, we here reported cloning of a novel Acetabularia opsin gene which was characterized to be a proton-pump stimulated by light.

Cross-sectional analysis of the iliopsoas tendon and its relationship to the acetabular labrum: an anatomic study.

BACKGROUND: Hip pain in patients with normal bony anatomy and anterior labral injury may be related to compression of the iliopsoas tendon across the anterior capsulolabral complex. No attempts to characterize the 3-dimensional anatomy of the iliopsoas tendon and its relationship to the acetabular labrum have been reported to date. HYPOTHESIS: The iliopsoas tendon directly overlies the capsulolabral complex. Contribution of the muscle belly and tendon to the overall circumference at the level of the labrum is approximately the same. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive laboratory study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight hip joints were dissected and cross-sectional measurements of the iliopsoas muscle-tendon complex were performed using digital calipers and image analysis software. RESULTS: The iliopsoas tendon in all specimens was located directly anterior to the anterosuperior capsulolabral complex at the 2 to 3 o'clock position. The overall length of the iliopsoas tendon from the lesser trochanter to the acetabular labrum was 75.4 +/- 0.9 mm. The circumference of the iliopsoas tendon at the lesser trochanter was 25.5 +/- 2.6 mm, the iliopsoas tendon at the level of the labrum was 28.4 +/- 2.8 mm, and the iliopsoas tendon-muscle belly complex at the level of the labrum was 63.8 +/- 7.4 mm. At the level of the labrum, the iliopsoas is composed of 44.5% tendon and 55.5% muscle belly. CONCLUSION: The close anatomic relationship of the iliopsoas tendon to the anterior capsulolabral complex suggests that iliopsoas pathologic changes at this level may lead to labral injury. Additionally, these data suggest that at the level of the labrum, 45% of the tendon-muscle belly complex should be released to release the entire tendinous portion. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Knowledge of the cross-sectional anatomy of the iliopsoas tendon and its relationship to the acetabular labrum will better assist surgeons in treating lesions associated with iliopsoas injury.

A cell-free system for light-dependent nuclear import of phytochrome.

Translocation from the cytosol to the nucleus is an essential step in phytochrome (phy) signal transduction. In the case of phytochrome A (phyA), this step occurs with the help of FHY1 (far-red-elongated hypocotyl 1), a specific transport protein. To investigate the components involved in phyA transport, we used a cell-free system that facilitates the controlled addition of transport factors. For this purpose, we isolated nuclei from the unicellular green algae Acetabularia acetabulum. These nuclei are up to 100 mum in diameter and allow easy detection of imported proteins. Experiments with isolated nuclei of Acetabularia showed that FHY1 is sufficient for phyA transport. The reconstituted system demonstrates all the characteristics of phytochrome transport in Arabidopsis thaliana. In addition, FHY1 was also actively exported from the nucleus, consistent with its role as a shuttle protein in plants. Therefore, we believe that isolated Acetabularia nuclei may be used as a general tool to study nuclear transport of plant proteins.