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A new type of mutation in the plant photoreceptor phytochrome B causes loss of photoreversibility and an extremely enhanced light sensitivity
Author(s) -
Kretsch Thomas,
Poppe Christoph,
Schäfer Eberhard
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
the plant journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.058
H-Index - 269
eISSN - 1365-313X
pISSN - 0960-7412
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-313x.2000.00715.x
Subject(s) - phytochrome , biology , light sensitivity , mutation , sensitivity (control systems) , genetics , botany , optics , red light , physics , gene , electronic engineering , engineering
Summary Photoreversibility, reversion of the inductive effect of a brief red light pulse by a subsequent far‐red light pulse, is a property of photoresponses regulated by the plant photoreceptor phytochrome B (phyB). We screened for mutants with impaired photoreversibility to gain better insight into the phyB‐specific signalling cascade. The phenotype of the mutant described is caused by a single amino acid exchange in a phyB subdomain that is highly conserved in all phytochromes but whose functional significance was unknown. The mutated phyB showed a slower dark reversion but no major alterations in its spectral properties. In addition to its loss of photoreversibility, the mutant also exhibited a hypersensitivity towards continuous red‐light irradiation and an altered phenotype of adult plants under short‐day conditions.