Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
10:36
Measurements of Physiological Stress Responses in C. Elegans
Published on: May 21, 2020
LNK1/2 mediate circadian-gated thermotolerance by regulating ROS homeostasis and activating HSFA8-dependent feedback
Lele Liang1, Mingming Liu1, Shiqi Gao1
1State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China.
Plant Communications
|July 29, 2026
Summary
The plant circadian clock, regulated by LNK1/2 proteins, enhances heat tolerance by managing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activating HSFA8. This mechanism ensures crop stability under heat stress.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- The plant circadian clock regulates daily physiological processes for homeostasis and adaptability.
- Heat stress significantly limits crop yields, but the circadian clock's role in thermotolerance is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mechanism by which the plant circadian clock gates thermotolerance.
- To identify key regulators involved in this process.
Main Methods:
- Investigated the role of LNK1/2 proteins in thermotolerance.
- Analyzed the function of transcription factors RVE4/8, CCA1/LHY, and HSFA8.
- Examined the regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism and H2O2 accumulation.
Main Results:
- LNK1/2 proteins are crucial for circadian gating of thermotolerance, dependent on their coactivator activity.
- RVE4/8 partially contribute to thermotolerance, while CCA1/LHY act antagonistically.
- LNK1/2 promote thermotolerance by regulating ROS metabolism, leading to beneficial H2O2 accumulation.
- HSFA8 activation by LNK1/2 contributes to circadian stability and temperature compensation.
Conclusions:
- LNK1/2 are key regulators of circadian timing, ROS signaling, and HSFA8-mediated feedback.
- These pathways coordinate thermotolerance while maintaining circadian homeostasis.
- Findings provide insights into improving crop resilience to heat stress.
Related Concept Videos
02:19Circadian 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,...
01:43Thermosensation
Peripheral thermosensation is the perception of external temperature. A change in temperature (on the surface of the skin and other tissues) is detected by a family of temperature-sensitive ion channels called Transient Receptor Potential, or TRP, receptors. These receptors are located on free nerve endings. Those detecting cold temperatures are closer to the surface of the skin than the nerve endings detecting warmth. These thermoTRP channels, while temperature selective, have relatively...
02:39lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs
In humans, more than 80% of the genome gets transcribed. However, only around 2% of the genome codes for proteins. The remaining part produces non-coding RNAs which includes ribosomal RNAs, transfer RNAs, telomerase RNAs, and regulatory RNAs, among other types. A large number of regulatory non-coding RNAs have been classified into two groups depending upon their length – small non-coding RNAs, such as microRNA, which are less than 200 nucleotides in length, and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA)...
01:25Body Temperature
The body's temperature, measured in degrees, is determined by the balance between heat production and dissipation to the surrounding environment. For instance, if exercising vigorously, the body will produce more heat, causing sweat and dissipating that heat. Despite extreme environmental conditions and physical exertion, the human temperature-control system maintains a constant core body temperature (the temperature of deep tissues, which are the tissues located beneath the skin and other...