The phytochrome-interacting transcription factor, PIF3, acts early, selectively, and positively in light-induced chloroplast development.

ABSTRACT: The phytochrome (phy) family of sensory photoreceptors transduce informational light signals to selected nuclear genes, inducing plant growth and developmental responses appropriate to the environment. Existing data suggest that one signaling pathway by which this occurs involves direct, intranuclear interaction of the photoactivated phy molecule with PIF3, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor. Here, we provide evidence from recently identified pif3 mutant alleles that PIF3 is necessary for early chloroplast greening and rapid phy-induced expression of nuclear genes encoding chloroplast components upon first exposure of seedlings to light. Therefore, these data indicate that PIF3 functions to transduce phy signals to genes involved in a critical facet of the early seedling deetiol

SUBMITTER: Monte E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC528976 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature