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Modulation of phototropism by phytochrome E and attenuation of gravitropism by phytochromes B and E in inflorescence stems
Author(s) -
Kumar Prem,
Kiss John Z.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
physiologia plantarum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.351
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1399-3054
pISSN - 0031-9317
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3054.2006.00670.x
Subject(s) - phototropism , phytochrome , gravitropism , phototropin , cryptochrome , arabidopsis thaliana , arabidopsis , biology , botany , inflorescence , mutant , blue light , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , red light , circadian clock , physics , gene , optics
Light is one of the most important environmental parameters for a plant and plays a critical role throughout the life cycle. Plants sense light using the red‐light‐absorbing phytochromes and the blue‐light‐absorbing cryptochromes and phototropins. In this report, we examine the role of phytochromes in phototropism and gravitropism in inflorescence stems of Arabidopsis thaliana . Tropisms and growth responses were assayed in wild‐type (WT) plants, and these responses were compared with those of the mutants phyA , phyB , phyAB , phyD and phyE . After considering growth differences, we found that phototropism of the phyE mutant is significantly less ( P < 0.05) and that gravitropism of phyB and phyE is significantly greater ( P < 0.05) compared with the WT responses. Interestingly, while phyE plays a positive role in phototropism, this pigment (along with phyB) attenuates gravitropism in inflorescence stems. This study adds to the growing literature demonstrating that phytochromes can play a role in blue‐light‐mediated responses such as phototropism.