title: Ion channels and the transduction of light signals.
abstract: Studies of biological light-sensing mechanisms are revealing important roles for ion channels. Photosensory transduction in plants is no exception. In this article, the evidence that ion channels perform such signal-transducing functions in the complex array of mechanisms that bring about plant photomorphogenesis will be reviewed and discussed. The examples selected for discussion range from light-gradient detection in unicellular algae to the photocontrol of stem growth in Arabidopsis. Also included is some discussion of the technical aspects of studies that combine electrophysiology and photobiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706, USA. spalding@facstaff.wisc.edu
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Spalding
mesh_terms: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000502:physiology; D020418:Algal Proteins; D000818:Animals; D001059:Apoproteins / Q000502:physiology; D017360:Arabidopsis; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D002696:Chlamydomonas; D056931:Cryptochromes; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D005420:Flavoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008027:Light; D000459:Phaeophyceae; D017956:Photoreceptor Cells, Invertebrate; D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; D010834:Phytochrome / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D020418:Algal Proteins; D001059:Apoproteins; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; C538962:CRY1 protein, Arabidopsis; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D056931:Cryptochromes; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D005420:Flavoproteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007473:Ion Channels; D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; C097338:chlamyopsin protein, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii; C119828:cry protein, Drosophila; D010834:Phytochrome