title: Plant circadian clocks increase photosynthesis, growth, survival, and competitive advantage.
abstract: Circadian clocks are believed to confer an advantage to plants, but the nature of that advantage has been unknown. We show that a substantial photosynthetic advantage is conferred by correct matching of the circadian clock period with that of the external light-dark cycle. In wild type and in long- and short-circadian period mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana, plants with a clock period matched to the environment contain more chlorophyll, fix more carbon, grow faster, and survive better than plants with circadian periods differing from their environment. This explains why plants gain advantage from circadian control.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK.
authors.forename: Antony N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Dodd
authors.forename: Neeraj
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Salathia
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kévei
authors.forename: Réka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tóth
authors.forename: Ferenc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.forename: Julian M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hibberd
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.forename: Alex A R
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Webb
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000502:physiology*; D018533:Biomass; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D003624:Darkness; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D005838:Genotype; D008027:Light; D009154:Mutation; D010788:Photosynthesis; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism; D012639:Seeds / Q000254:growth & development; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; C114425:CCA1 protein, Arabidopsis; C411822:TOC1 protein, Arabidopsis; D014157:Transcription Factors; D002734:Chlorophyll; D002245:Carbon Dioxide