CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED1 and LATE ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL function synergistically in the circadian clock of Arabidopsis.
The circadian clock is an endogenous mechanism that coordinates biological processes with daily and seasonal changes in the environment. Heterodimerization of central clock components is an important way of controlling clock function in several different circadian systems. CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED1 (CCA1) and LATE ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL (LHY) are Myb-related proteins that function in or close to the central oscillator in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Single mutants of cca1 and lhy have a phenotype of short-period rhythms. cca1 lhy double mutants show an even shorter period phenotype than the cca1 single mutant, suggesting that CCA1 and LHY are only partially functionally redundant. To determine whether CCA1 and LHY act in parallel or synergistically in the circadian clock, we examined their expression in both light-grown and etiolated seedlings. We have shown that LHY and CCA1 bind to the same region of the promoter of a Light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein (Lhcb, also known as CAB). CCA1 and LHY can form homodimers, and they also colocalize in the nucleus and heterodimerize in vitro and in vivo. In Arabidopsis, CCA1 and LHY physically interact in a manner independent of photoperiod. Moreover, results from gel filtration chromatography indicate that CCA1 and LHY are present in the same large complex in plants. Taken together, these results imply that CCA1 and LHY function synergistically in regulating circadian rhythms of Arabidopsis.
Lu
Sheen X
SX
Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095.
Knowles
Stephen M
SM
Andronis
Christos
C
Ong
May S
MS
Tobin
Elaine M
EM
D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000502:physiology*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D061146:Chlorophyll Binding Proteins; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D045342:Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D045331:Photosystem I Protein Complex / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011485:Protein Binding; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D021381:Protein Transport; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; C114425:CCA1 protein, Arabidopsis; D061146:Chlorophyll Binding Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C113192:LHY protein, Arabidopsis; D045342:Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; D045331:Photosystem I Protein Complex; D014157:Transcription Factors