Blue/green light-responsive cyanobacteriochromes are cell shade sensors in red-light replete niches

Summary Cyanobacteriochrome photoreceptors cyanobacteriochromes (CBCRs) show various photochemical properties, but their ecophysiological functions remain elusive. Here, we report that the blue/green CBCRs SesA/B/C can serve as physiological sensors of cell density. Because cyanobacterial cells show lower transmittance of blue light than green light, higher cell density gives more green light-enriched irradiance to cells. The cell density-dependent suppression of cell aggregation under blue/green-mixed light and white light conditions support this idea. Such a sensing mechanism may provide information about the cell position in cyanobacterial mats in hot springs, the natural habitat of Thermosynechococcus. This cell position-dependent SesA/B/C-mediated regulation of cellular sessility (aggregation) might be ecophysiologically essential for the reorganization and growth of phototrophic mats. We also report that the green light-induced dispersion of cell aggregates requires red light-driven photosynthesis. Blue/green CBCRs might work as shade detectors in a different niche than red/far-red phytochromes, which may be why CBCRs have evolved in cyanobacteria.