FIN219, an auxin-regulated gene, defines a link between phytochrome A and the downstream regulator COP1 in light control of Arabidopsis development

Light signals perceived by photoreceptors are transduced to negatively regulate COP1, a key repressor of photomorphogenic development. To identify genes involved in light inactivation of COP1, a genetic screen was employed to identify extragenic modifier mutations of a temperature-sensitive cop1 allele. One suppressor mutation isolated also exhibited a far-red-specific long hypocotyl phenotype in a wild-type background. Further phenotypic analyses of this new mutation, named fin219, suggested that it defines a novel phytochrome A signaling component. Genetic analysis indicated that FIN219 interacts closely with another phytochrome A signaling component, FHY1. Molecular characterization of FIN219 indicated that it encodes a cytoplasmic localized protein highly similar to the GH3 family of proteins and its expression is rapidly induced by auxin. In contrast to its loss-of-function mutant phenotype, overexpression of FIN219 results in a far-red-specific hyperphotomorphogenic response. Our data suggest that FIN219 may define a critical link for phytochrome A-mediated far-red inactivation of COP1 and a possible cross-talk juncture between auxin regulation and phytochrome signaling.