Phytochrome phosphorylation in plant light signaling.
Reversible protein phosphorylation is a switching mechanism used in eukaryotes to regulate various cellular signalings. In plant light signaling, sophisticated photosensory receptor systems operate to modulate growth and development. The photoreceptors include phytochromes, cryptochromes and phototropins. Despite considerable progresses in defining the photosensory roles of these photoreceptors, the primary biochemical mechanisms by which the photoreceptor molecules transduce the perceived light signals into cellular responses remain to be elucidated. The signal-transducing photoreceptors in plants are all phosphoproteins and/or protein kinases, suggesting that light-dependent protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation play important roles in the function of the photoreceptors. This review focuses on the role of phytochromes' reversible phosphorylation involved in the light signal transduction in plants.
Kim
Jeong-Il
JI
Kumho Life & Environmental Science Laboratory, 1 Oryong-Dong, Gwangju, 500-712 South Korea. jikim@kkpc.com
Park
Jeoung-Eun
JE
Zarate
Xristo
X
Song
Pill-Soon
PS
D008027:Light; D010785:Photophosphorylation / Q000502:physiology; D010834:Phytochrome / Q000378:metabolism*; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
D010834:Phytochrome