title: Signaling mechanisms of higher plant photoreceptors: a structure-function perspective.
abstract: Higher plants monitor changes in the ambient light environment using three major classes of photoreceptors: the red/far-red-absorbing phytochromes, the blue/UV-A-absorbing cryptochromes, and phototropins. These photoreceptors mediate various photoresponses, ranging from seed germination, to seedling de-etiolation, stem elongation, leaf expansion, floral initiation, phototropic bending of organs, intracellular movement of chloroplast, and stomata opening. Here I briefly review the distinct and overlapping physiological functions of these photoreceptors and highlight recent progress that provided significant insights into their signaling mechanisms, particularly from a structure-function perspective. This review focuses on the early photochemical and biochemical events that lead to photoreceptor activation and signaling initiation.
authors.affiliation: Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Haiyang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D056931:Cryptochromes; D005420:Flavoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017343:Genes, Plant; D008954:Models, Biological; D015394:Molecular Structure; D005810:Multigene Family; D010766:Phosphorylation; D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010834:Phytochrome / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; C538962:CRY1 protein, Arabidopsis; D056931:Cryptochromes; D005420:Flavoproteins; D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; D010834:Phytochrome