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Updated: Aug 25, 2026

Rapid Analysis of Circadian Phenotypes in Arabidopsis Protoplasts Transfected with a Luminescent Clock Reporter
Published on: September 17, 2016
Circadian and diurnal calcium oscillations encode photoperiodic information in Arabidopsis
John Love1, Antony N Dodd, Alex A R Webb
1Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK.
Abstract:
We have tested the hypothesis that circadian oscillations in the concentration of cytosolic free calcium ([Ca2+]cyt) can encode information. We imaged oscillations of [Ca2+]cyt in the cotyledons and leaves of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) that have a 24-h period in light/dark cycles and also constant light. The amplitude, phase, and shape of the oscillations of [Ca2+]cyt and [Ca2+]cyt at critical daily time points were controlled by the light/dark regimes in which the plants were grown. These data provide evidence that 24-h oscillations in [Ca2+]cyt encode information concerning daylength and light intensity, which are two major regulators of plant growth and development.
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