Phytochromes function as thermosensors in Arabidopsis

Plants are responsive to temperature, and some species can distinguish differences of 1°C. In Arabidopsis, warmer temperature accelerates flowering and increases elongation growth (thermomorphogenesis). However, the mechanisms of temperature perception are largely unknown. We describe a major thermosensory role for the phytochromes (red light receptors) during the night. Phytochrome null plants display a constitutive warm-temperature response, and consistent with this, we show in this background that the warm-temperature transcriptome becomes derepressed at low temperatures. We found that phytochrome B (phyB) directly associates with the promoters of key target genes in a temperature-dependent manner. The rate…

• WC
  Winston Churchill Foundation of the United States
• GC
  Gatsby Charitable Foundation

  Awards: GAT3272/GLC, GAT3273/GLB
• DF
  Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

  Award: SCHA 303/16-1
• BA
  Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

  Awards: BB/I013350/1, BB/I013350/1, BB/K017152/1, BB/N010248/1, BB/N010248/1
• ER
  European Research Council

  Award: EC FP7 ERC 243140