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Related Concept Videos

Biological Clocks and Seasonal Responses02:45

Biological Clocks and Seasonal Responses

The circadian—or biological—clock is an intrinsic, timekeeping, molecular mechanism that allows plants to coordinate physiological activities over 24-hour cycles called circadian rhythms. Photoperiodism is a collective term for the biological responses of plants to variations in the relative lengths of dark and light periods. The period of light-exposure is called the photoperiod.
Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation02:19

Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation

The biological clock is involved in many aspects of regulating complex physiology in all animals. It was in 1935 when German zoologists, Hans Kalmus and Erwin Bünning, discovered the existence of circadian rhythm in Drosophila melanogaster. However, the internal molecular mechanisms behind the circadian clock remained a mystery until 1984, when Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young discovered the expression of the Per gene oscillating over a 24-hour cycle. In subsequent years,...
Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation02:19

Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation

The biological clock is involved in many aspects of regulating complex physiology in all animals. It was in 1935 when German zoologists, Hans Kalmus and Erwin Bünning, discovered the existence of circadian rhythm in Drosophila melanogaster. However, the internal molecular mechanisms behind the circadian clock remained a mystery until 1984, when Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young discovered the expression of the Per gene oscillating over a 24-hour cycle. In subsequent years,...
Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light02:00

Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light

Light plays a significant role in regulating the growth and development of plants. In addition to providing energy for photosynthesis, light provides other important cues to regulate a range of developmental and physiological responses in plants.
Cell Signaling in Plants01:25

Cell Signaling in Plants

Plant cells communicate to coordinate their cycle of growth, flowering and fruiting, and activities in roots, shoots, and leaves in response to the changing environmental conditions. Plant signaling is distinct from animal signaling. Plants primarily utilize enzyme-linked receptors, whereas the largest class of cell-surface receptors in animals are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Unlike animals, receptor tyrosine kinases are rare in plants. Instead, plants have a diverse class of...
C4 Pathway and CAM01:27

C4 Pathway and CAM

Most plants use the C3 pathway for carbon fixation. However, some plants, such as sugar cane, corn, and cacti that grow in hot conditions, use alternative pathways to fix carbon and conserve energy loss due to photorespiration. Photorespiration is the process that occurs when the oxygen concentration is high. Under such conditions, the rubisco enzyme in the Calvin cycle binds O2 instead of CO2, which halts photosynthesis and consumes energy.
C4 Pathway
The C4 pathway is used by plants such as...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Rapid Analysis of Circadian Phenotypes in Arabidopsis Protoplasts Transfected with a Luminescent Clock Reporter
07:42

Rapid Analysis of Circadian Phenotypes in Arabidopsis Protoplasts Transfected with a Luminescent Clock Reporter

Published on: September 17, 2016

The circadian system in higher plants.

Stacey L Harmer1

  • 1Department of Plant Biology, College of Biological Sciences, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA. slharmer@ucdavis.edu

Annual Review of Plant Biology
|July 7, 2009
PubMed
Summary

The plant circadian clock controls growth and fitness through gene regulation. This molecular oscillator influences daily rhythms and environmental responses, enhancing plant adaptability.

Area of Science:

  • Plant biology
  • Chronobiology
  • Molecular genetics

Background:

  • The circadian clock is crucial for plant growth, development, and fitness.
  • Research in Arabidopsis has significantly advanced understanding of plant clock mechanisms.
  • Current models integrate transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of clock genes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of the plant circadian clock.
  • To understand how the clock regulates plant growth and environmental responses.
  • To explore the integration of clock networks with other signaling pathways.

Main Methods:

  • Molecular identification of clock components.
  • Mathematical modeling of clock gene regulation.

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Last Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Rapid Analysis of Circadian Phenotypes in Arabidopsis Protoplasts Transfected with a Luminescent Clock Reporter
07:42

Rapid Analysis of Circadian Phenotypes in Arabidopsis Protoplasts Transfected with a Luminescent Clock Reporter

Published on: September 17, 2016

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Parallel Measurement of Circadian Clock Gene Expression and Hormone Secretion in Human Primary Cell Cultures

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  • Experimental validation of clock outputs at cellular and organismal levels.

    • Main Results:

    • A comprehensive model of the plant circadian clock has been developed.
    • The clock demonstrates both transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulatory control.
    • Rhythmic outputs from the cell-autonomous oscillator are observable.
    • The clock influences daily rhythms in plant growth and metabolism.

    Conclusions:

    • The plant circadian clock is a complex, cell-autonomous oscillator.
    • Clock function is vital for regulating daily rhythms and plant fitness.
    • Integration of the clock with environmental signaling pathways is key to plant adaptation.