HMN 2025: How Light-driven magnesium transport protein helps microbe thrive in harsh atmosphere

Prof. Chii-Shen Yang’s workforce at National Taiwan University resolved the molecular construction and found that HwMR, a light-sensing protein in H. walsbyi, transports magnesium ions utilizing key residues, serving to microbes survive excessive situations.

Imagine tiny creatures residing in super-salty water with an especially excessive focus of a steel ion, magnesium (Mg²⁺)—means an excessive amount of for many different residing issues. One of those tiny creatures, referred to as Haloquadratum walsbyi, has a particular light-sensing protein referred to as HwMR.

In an article published in Nature Communications, the workforce of Prof. Chii-Shen Yang’s lab found that HwMR would not simply detect gentle—it truly helps transfer magnesium (Mg²⁺) ions into the cell when uncovered to gentle. Magnesium is tremendous necessary for all times, however an excessive amount of can damage most organisms. Somehow, H. walsbyi survives on this harsh atmosphere, and HwMR may be a giant purpose why.

To determine how HwMR works, Yang’s workforce studied its atomic protein construction utilizing a robust expertise, X-ray diffraction.

They discovered two necessary residues within the protein—Asp84 and Thr216—that assist it seize magnesium and transport it into the cell. They modified Asp84 to a different residue to see what would occur, and the protein stopped working correctly, proving it performs a giant function.

This discovery is thrilling as a result of not solely is it the primary instance of Mg²⁺ transportation throughout cell membranes that’s pushed by gentle, it additionally reveals how some creatures adapt to excessive environments utilizing particular proteins.

“It additionally helps scientists perceive how magnesium strikes inside cells, which might result in cool new discoveries in biology,” mentioned Prof. Chii-Shen Yang.