Recent Posts

Shade avoidance responses in Chinese white poplar rely on shared and unique roles of phytochrome-interacting factors

Shade avoidance syndrome (SAS) is a set of adaptive growth responses to low red to far-red light ratios. SAS includes petiole and internode lengthening and upward bending of leaves (hyponasty). In Arabidopsis, PHYTOCHROME B (PHYB) and PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTORS (PIFs) are implicated in these responses.…

Seasonal flowering and seasonal growth measure light duration differently

One of the first lessons a plant biologist learns is that many plants coordinate their seasonal flowering through measuring daylength, and that this process involves both photoreceptors and the biological clock that functions inside of cells. Of course, daylength also affects plant metabolism, in part…

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.…