
Interconnected: Hydrotropism and phototropism in Arabidopsis root growth
Tropisms enable plants to shift their growth direction in response to environmental changes. The roots of Arabidopsis plants respond to gravity by growing in the direction of gravity, a phenomenon known as gravitropism, while in response to unilateral blue light they bend away, demonstrating phototropism.…

Light and sucrose signaling converge at TOR kinase to control plant development
Different photoreceptors (mainly phytochromes and cryptochromes) perceive light, which acts as a signal for controlling plant growth and development. Similarly, light is absorbed by chlorophylls (and carotenoids) for generating energy via photosynthesis. In search of a link between these two light-mediated…

Shade finds a salty connection
Light acts as a crucial signal for plant growth and development and is perceived by several types of photoreceptors including phytochromes (phys). Sun-loving plants often exhibit shade avoidance syndrome (SAS), like longer hypocotyl, lesser branching, and earlier flowering to outcompete their neighbors…

Photo-thermally controlled transcriptional regulation of FT drives the arrest of flowering time in Arabidopsis
Light and temperature are important external signals required by plants for flower initiation. These external signals along with some internal cues (plant age, gibberellins, etc.) are established factors for floral initiation, but the factors required for end-of-flowering time are not yet established.…

Gaining cis-elements contributed to enhanced expression of C4 genes
C4 photosynthesis is derived from C3 photosynthesis. When related genes are compared, those involved in C4 photosynthesis tend to be more highly expressed. To understand this phenomenon, Singh et al. undertook a very impressive approach to look at transcriptional regulation of essentially all the photosynthetic…

Unlocking the secrets of light signaling in Physcomitrium
The water-to-land transition increased plant complexity, requiring endogenous developmental programs to be linked to light signal transduction pathways to adapt to ambient light. Arabidopsis COP1 (CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC 1) and SPA (SUPRESSOR OF PHYA-105) proteins represses photomorphogenesis…

Green means go: Green light promotes hypocotyl elongation via BRs
Generally, light inhibits hypocotyl elongation. Like red and blue light, green light was previously reported to inhibit hypocotyl elongation in several plants. Here, Hao et al. discovered that the inhibition of hypocotyl growth by green light is due to wavelength impurities in the green lights used.…

Underwater blues: Molecular rewiring of stomatal development in Rorippa aquatica
Unanticipated flooding conditions challenge the survival and overall growth and development of a plant, for example stomatal development is suppressed under submerged conditions. Stomata are microscopic pores on the surface of leaves of a plant that play an important role in the exchange of gases between…

PIF4 enhances DNA binding of CDF2 to co-regulate target gene expression and promote Arabidopsis hypocotyl cell elongation (Nature Plants)
Responses to environmental and internal signals require the recruitment of transcription factors (TFs). TFs recognize simple DNA sequences to activate specific genes that will accomplish the required functions. DOF (DNA-binding with one finger) is a large family of plant TFs that encloses the CYCLING…