A new type of mutation in the plant photoreceptor phytochrome B causes loss of photoreversibility and an extremely enhanced light sensitivity.

Abstract

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.

• Authors: T Kretsch, C Poppe, E Schäfer
• Journal: The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology (Plant J) Vol. 22 Issue 3 Pg. 177-86 (May 2000) ISSN: 0960-7412 [Print] England
• PMID: 10849336 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• DNA Primers
• Transcription Factors
• Phytochrome
• Phytochrome B

Topics

• Alleles
• Amino Acid Sequence
• Base Sequence
• DNA Primers
• Light
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Mutation
• Phenotype
• Photoreceptor Cells
• Phytochrome (chemistry, genetics, metabolism)
• Phytochrome B
• Radiation Tolerance
• Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
• Transcription Factors