Project description:To incorporate the far-red light (FR) signal into a strategy for optimizing plant growth, FAR-RED ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL1 (FHY1) mediates the nuclear translocation of the FR photoreceptor phytochrome A (phyA) and facilitates the association of phyA with the promoters of numerous associated genes crucial for the response to environmental stimuli. However, whether FHY1 plays additional roles following FR irradiation remains elusive. Here, by the global identification of FHY1 chromatin association sites through ChIP-seq analysis and by the comparison of FHY1-associated sites with phyA- associated sites, we demonstrated that nuclear FHY1 can either act independently of phyA or act in association with phyA to activate the expression of distinct target genes. We also determined that phyA can act independently of FHY1 in regulating phyA-specific target genes. Furthermore, we determined that the independent FHY1 nuclear pathway is involved in crucial developmental aspects, as in the case of inhibited seed germination under FR during salt-stress. Notably, the differential presence of cis-elements and transcription factors in common and unique FHY1 and/or phyA associated genes are indicative of the complexity of the independent and coordinated FHY1 and phyA pathways. Our study uncovers new aspects of FHY1 function beyond its currently recognized role in phyA-dependent photomorphogenesis. The 35S: GFP-FHY1 fhy1-1 transgenic line and the fhy1-1 mutant were grown under the same light conditions used (D4d+FR3h) for RNA preparation and sequencing. Three biologically replicates were subjected to high-throughput Solexa (Illumina) sequencing.
Project description:The absorption of visible light in aquatic environments has led to the common assumption that aquatic organisms sense and adapt to penetrative blue/green light wavelengths, but show little or no response to the more attenuated red/far-red wavelengths. Here we show that two marine diatom species, Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Thalassiosira pseudonana, possess a bona fide red/far-red light sensing phytochrome (DPH) that uses biliverdin as a chromophore and displays accentuated red-shifted absorbance peaks compared to other characterized plant and algal phytochromes. Exposure to both red and far-red light causes changes in gene expression in P. tricornutum and the responses to far-red light disappear in DPH knockout cells, demonstrating that P. tricornutum DPH mediates far-red light signaling. The identification of DPH genes in diverse diatom species widely distributed along the water column further emphasizes the ecological significance of far-red light sensing, raising questions about the sources of far-red light. Our analyses indicate that, although far-red wavelengths from sunlight are only detectable at the ocean surface, chlorophyll fluorescence and Raman scattering can generate red/far-red photons in deeper layers. This study opens up novel perspectives on phytochrome-mediated far-red light signaling in the ocean and on the light sensing and adaptive capabilities of marine phototrophs.
Project description:To incorporate the far-red light (FR) signal into a strategy for optimizing plant growth, FAR-RED ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL1 (FHY1) mediates the nuclear translocation of the FR photoreceptor phytochrome A (phyA) and facilitates the association of phyA with the promoters of numerous associated genes crucial for the response to environmental stimuli. However, whether FHY1 plays additional roles following FR irradiation remains elusive. Here, by the global identification of FHY1 chromatin association sites through ChIP-seq analysis and by the comparison of FHY1-associated sites with phyA- associated sites, we demonstrated that nuclear FHY1 can either act independently of phyA or act in association with phyA to activate the expression of distinct target genes. We also determined that phyA can act independently of FHY1 in regulating phyA-specific target genes. Furthermore, we determined that the independent FHY1 nuclear pathway is involved in crucial developmental aspects, as in the case of inhibited seed germination under FR during salt-stress. Notably, the differential presence of cis-elements and transcription factors in common and unique FHY1 and/or phyA associated genes are indicative of the complexity of the independent and coordinated FHY1 and phyA pathways. Our study uncovers new aspects of FHY1 function beyond its currently recognized role in phyA-dependent photomorphogenesis
Project description:To incorporate the far-red light (FR) signal into a strategy for optimizing plant growth, FAR-RED ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL1 (FHY1) mediates the nuclear translocation of the FR photoreceptor phytochrome A (phyA) and facilitates the association of phyA with the promoters of numerous associated genes crucial for the response to environmental stimuli. However, whether FHY1 plays additional roles following FR irradiation remains elusive. Here, by the global identification of FHY1 chromatin association sites through ChIP-seq analysis and by the comparison of FHY1-associated sites with phyA- associated sites, we demonstrated that nuclear FHY1 can either act independently of phyA or act in association with phyA to activate the expression of distinct target genes. We also determined that phyA can act independently of FHY1 in regulating phyA-specific target genes. Furthermore, we determined that the independent FHY1 nuclear pathway is involved in crucial developmental aspects, as in the case of inhibited seed germination under FR during salt-stress. Notably, the differential presence of cis-elements and transcription factors in common and unique FHY1 and/or phyA associated genes are indicative of the complexity of the independent and coordinated FHY1 and phyA pathways. Our study uncovers new aspects of FHY1 function beyond its currently recognized role in phyA-dependent photomorphogenesis