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Related Experiment Video

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Investigating Tissue- and Organ-specific Phytochrome Responses using FACS-assisted Cell-type Specific Expression Profiling in Arabidopsis thaliana

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Published on: May 29, 2010

Phytochrome cytoplasmic signaling.

¹Department of Plant Physiology, Justus Liebig University, D35390 Giessen, Germany. jon.hughes@uni-giessen.de

Annual Review of Plant Biology

|March 20, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Plant phytochromes (light receptors) signal rapidly in the cytoplasm and at the plasma membrane, influencing plant direction and translation. This review explores these non-transcriptional roles.

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Area of Science:

Plant biology
Photoreceptor signaling

Background:

Phytochromes are key plant photoreceptors regulating growth and development.
Traditional understanding focuses on nuclear transcriptional regulation.
Emerging evidence suggests rapid, non-transcriptional roles in the cytoplasm and plasma membrane.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the non-transcriptional functions of phytochromes.
To explore rapid signaling pathways initiated by phytochromes.
To discuss phytochrome roles in directional responses and translation.

Main Methods:

Literature review of studies on plant phytochrome signaling.
Analysis of research on cytoplasmic and plasma membrane-associated phytochrome functions.
Synthesis of findings across diverse plant groups (algae, ferns, mosses, higher plants).

Main Results:

Phytochromes exhibit rapid cytoplasmic signaling (seconds to minutes).
Anisotropic association with the plasma membrane mediates directional signaling.
Hybrid photoreceptors (neochromes) and interactions with phototropins are crucial for directional responses.
Phytochromes may also regulate cytoplasmic translation.

Conclusions:

Phytochromes possess diverse signaling mechanisms beyond nuclear transcription.
Rapid cytoplasmic and plasma membrane-associated functions are vital for plant responses.
Understanding these roles is crucial for comprehending plant photobiology.