Heikki Takala

Heikki Takala

Academy Research Fellow
Unit
Faculty of Mathematics and Science
Department / Division
Department of Biological and Environmental Science
Room number
YA C215.1
Email
heikki.p.takala@jyu.fi
Mobile
+358469236211
Postal address
Survontie 9
Fields of science
1182 Biochemistry, cell and molecular biology

Research interests

I study proteins called phytochromes. Phytochromes are red light-sensing molecules that are found in for example plants and bacteria. Red light causes structural changes in the phytochrome protein, which lead to responses like turning of a plant to face the light source. Studying these light-controlled changes in phytochromes give valuable information for e.g. agriculture.

Publications

Publication
2025

Observation of early events in the photoactivation of Myxobacterial phytochrome using time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography

Communications Chemistry.
Malla, Tek Narsingh
Aldama, Luis
Leon, Viridiana
Feliz, Denisse
Hu, Hao
Thomas, Isaiah
Cellini, Andrea
Wahlgren, Weixiao Y.
Nimmrich, Amke
Botha, Sabine
Sierra, Ray
Hunter, Mark S.
Poitevin, Frédéric
Lisova, Stella
Batyuk, Alexander
Gate, Gregory
Jernigan, Rebecca
Kupitz, Christopher J.
Maj, Piotr
Meszaros, Petra
Kurttila, Moona
Monrroy, Leonardo
Luo, Fangjia
Owada, Shigeki
Kang, Jungmin
Slavov, Chavdar
Maj, Michal
Gautier, Candice
Kashipathy, Maithri
Tolstikova, Alexandra
Mariani, Valerio
Barty, Anton
Moss, Frank
Schwander, Peter
Liu, Haiguang
Boutet, Sébastien
Fromme, Petra
Takala, Heikki
Ihalainen, Janne A.
Weierstall, Uwe
Westenhoff, Sebastian
Stojković, Emina A.
Schmidt, Marius
Publication
2025

Ultrafast, remote-controlled protonation reaction enables structural changes in a phytochrome

Science Advances.
Shankar, Madan Kumar
Grunewald, Lukas
Wahlgren, Weixiao Yuan
Stucki-Buchli, Brigitte
Nimmrich, Amke
Kurttila, Moona
Fischer, Anna-Lena
Salvadori, Giacomo
Cellini, Andrea
Maj, Piotr
Anindya, Atsarina Larasati
Claesson, Elin
Luo, Fangjia
Malla, Tek Narsingh
Pandey, Suraj
Tosha, Takehiko
Nipawan, Nuemket
Owada, Shigeki
Tono, Kensuke
Tanaka, Rie
Stojković, Emina A.
Mozorov, Dmitry
Myllyperkiö, Pasi
Kumpulainen, Tatu
Takala, Heikki
Schmidt, Marius
Ihalainen, Janne A.
Westenhoff, Sebastian
More publications from this author

Research groups

Research group

Optogenetic Modules – Function and Applications

Takala group studies and applies phytochromes