title: The tricks plants use to reach appropriate light.
abstract: The perception of ambient light signals that produce a relevant response to ensure exposure to appropriate levels of light energy is vital for plants. In response to this, intricate molecular mechanisms to mediate light signaling have evolved in plants. Among the responses induced by light, seedling extension is a determining event for plant survival in darkness, especially in the initial stage of plant growth. Here we review previous studies and recent progress towards an understanding of light signaling that regulates seedling elongation. We focus on the three regions of the sunlight spectrum that primarily control seedling elongation, namely red/far-red light, blue/UV-A light and UV-B light, and summarize the four signaling pathways that correspond to the three effective spectra.
authors.affiliation: Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA. dchao@purdue.edu
authors.forename: DaiYin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: HongXuan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D002455:Cell Division; D056931:Cryptochromes / Q000502:physiology; D008027:Light; D010834:Phytochrome / Q000502:physiology; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena
chemical_list: D056931:Cryptochromes; D010834:Phytochrome