Unlocking the secrets of light signaling in Physcomitrium
Plant Science Research WeeklyThe 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
Plant Science Research WeeklyGenerally, 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
Plant Science Research WeeklyUnanticipated 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)
Plant Science Research WeeklyResponses 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…
A new link between light and brassinosteroid signaling
The Plant Cell: In a NutshellCao et al. demonstrate that the photomorphogenic repressors BBX28 and BBX29 enhance brassinosteroid signaling to promote hypocotyl elongation and cotyledon closure.
By Jing Cao and Fang Lin
Background: Light signals and brassinosteroids (BRs) are external stimuli and internal cues, respectively,…
HY5 and TZP cooperate to help plants respond to far-red light
The Plant Cell: In a NutshellLi et al. discover that HY5 and TZP, two factors helping plants respond to far-red light, mutually upregulate each other by distinct mechanisms in transmitting the far-red light signal. The Plant Cell (2021) https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koab254
By Cong Li, Lijuan Qi and Jigang Li
Background:…
Focus Issue on Architecture and Plasticity (Plant Physiol)
Plant Science Research WeeklyThe November issue of Plant Physiology is a Focus Issue on Architecture and Plasticity. One of the most intriguing aspects of plant growth and development is the environmental responsiveness (also known as “plasticity”) of plant architecture (growth form). Depending on environmental conditions, roots…
PIFs link environmental changes with chromatin dynamics (Nature Genetics)
Plant Science Research WeeklyPHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTORS (PIFs) play a pivotal role in mediating the responses of plants to various environmental stimuli. Although the importance of PIFs in shade avoidance response is well known, the relative contributions of different PIFs have not been discretely determined. In a recent study,…
Who keeps PIF4 high on a hot day? RCB joins HEMERA as a partner in crime (Nature Comms)
Plant Science Research WeeklyPHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR4 (PIF4) is a key protein that mediates thermomorphogenic responses in plants. Under warm temperatures, PIF4 levels are high in the daytime even in the presence of active phyB, which is known to induce degradation of PIFs. Thus, in warm temperatures there must be a mechanism…