Study Identifies New Temperature Sensing Mechanism in Plants

Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:

In a paper published in Nature Communications, a group of cell biologists led by Meng Chen, a professor of botany and plant sciences at the University of California, Riverside, reveal the phytochrome B molecule has unexpected dynamics activated by temperature, and behaves differently depending on the temperature and type of light.

As climate change warms the world, crop growth patterns and flowering times will change. A better understanding of how phytochromes regulate the seasonal rhythms of plant growth will help scientists develop crops for optimal growth under the Earth's new climate and might even shed light on cancer in animals.

Phytochromes switch between active and inactive forms like a binary switch controlled by light and temperature. In direct sunlight, such as in open fields, phytochromes switch "on," absorbing far-red light. This active form inhibits stem elongation, which limits how tall plants in direct sunlight can grow.

In shade phytochromes are less active, absorbing red. This "off" form releases the inhibition of stem growth, so plants grow taller in shade to compete with other plants for more sunlight.

Within the cell, light causes "on" phytochromes to coalesce into units called photobodies inside the cell nucleus. When phytochrome B is off, it resides outside the cell nucleus. It moves inside the nucleus when "on" and changes the expression of genes and growth patterns.

Changes in light alter the size and number of all foci. Chen's group has now shown temperature alters individual foci.

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