PHYTOCHROME CONTROL OF ITS OWN SYNTHESIS IN Sorghum vulgare AND Avena sativa

The accumulation of phytochrome in the dark was measured for Avena sativa seedlings after a white light pretreatment and for Sorghum vulgare seedlings after continuous red or far-red light treatments, using the herbicide Norflurazon to prevent greening under continuous irradiation. In both cases the accumulation of phytochrome depends on the state of the phytochrome at the light-dark transition: high P_fr levels (red light pulse) led to a slower rate of phytochrome accumulation than lower P_fr levels (long wavelength far-red (RG 9) light pulse). Poly-(A⁺)-RNA was isolated fromA. sativa seedlings grown for 48 h in darkness + 24 h WL + light pulse (5 min) (red, RG 9 light, red followed by RG 9 light or RG 9 followed by red light pulse) + 19 h darkness. The poly-(A⁺)-RNA was translated in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system and the translation products were immunoprecipitated by specific anti-phytochrome antibodies. It was demonstrated that the activity of mRNA coding for phytochrome was under phytochrome control.     

PHEOMELANIN PHOTOCHEMISTRY. PHOTOLYSIS OF MODEL COMPOUNDS

Abstract— Phytochrome control of nitrate reductase activity has been studied in cotyledons and hypocotyls of light-grown Sinapis alba. Under polychromatic irradiation, an increase in the fluence rate of far-red light added to a constant source of photosynthetically active radiation causes a decrease in the phytochrome photoequilibrium and, in the hypocotyl, this results in decreased nitrate reductase activity. However, in the cotyledons this difference is only observed transiently. In both organs, enzyme activity is correlated with the level of the far-red light absorbing form of phytochrome, P_fr. These correlations are not altered when the fluence rate (with respect to phytochrome) is increased, suggesting that the responses are not fluence rate dependent. The results obtained are consistent with the notion that in fully de-etiolated seedlings, P_ft alone controls nitrate reductase activity.     

PHOTOCONTROL OF ANTHOCYANIN SYNTHESIS: PHYTOCHROME,CHLOROPHYLL AND ANTHOCYANIN SYNTHESIS*

Abstract —Anthocyanin synthesis in cabbage and mustard seedlings depends upon duration and irradiance of the light treatment. The relative effectiveness of radiation in various spectral regions depends upon the length of the irradiation and decreases with increasing dose. In intermittent light treatments, far-red light can reverse the promoting action of red light if the dark interval between successive irradiations is longer than one hour. If the length of the dark interval is less than one hour, far-red applied immediately after each red irradiation, enhances anthocyanin accumulation. Anthocyanin accumulation under various light treatments seems to correlate, to some extent, with the rate of phytochrome decay, but not with chlorophyll production. Anthocyanin accumulation is inhibited by 2,4-dinitrophenol and by the ammonium ion, but not by DCMU. The ammonium ion inhibits anthocyanin accumulation induced by a single, short red irradiation. This suggest that the ammonium ion may have a wider spectrum of action in vivo than in chloroplast preparations where it acts as a specific uncoupler of photophosphorylation. Streptomycin inhibits chlorophyll synthesis and enhances anthocyanin accumulation. These results suggest that there is very little, if any, interaction between photosynthesis and ‘high-irradiance-reaction’ anthocyanin synthesis in cabbage and mustard seedlings.     

INDUCTION OF phr GENE EXPRESSION BY PYRIMIDINE DIMERS IN Escherichia coli

The photoreactivating enzyme (PRE) is concerned with mainly two kinds of light wavelength. The PRE splits UVC (254 nm)-induced pyrimidine dimer by absorbing UVA (320–380 nm) or visible light in its chromophore. The present paper demonstrates that the phr gene expression was efficiently induced in an excision defective strain (uvrA∼) after irradiation by UVC and UVB (290-320 nm), but not by UVA and visible light. In addition, the induced activity was significantly depressed by irradiation with UVA and visible light. Therefore we conclude that the phr gene expression can be induced by pyrimidine dimers.     

PHYTOCHROME-MEDIATED THRESHOLD CONTROL OF HYPOCOTYL GROWTH IN PARTLY DE-ETIOLATED MUSTARD (Sinapis alba L.) SEEDLINGS

Abstract— Hypocotyl elongation in etiolated mustard ( Sinapis alba L.) seedlings is known to be controlled by phytochrome (Pfr) through a threshold mechanism. The Pfr threshold value required to suppress hypocotyl growth was low (3 times 10⁻²% Pfr, based on total phytochrome in the hypocotyl at 36 h after sowing = 100%). In the present study the question was addressed whether the threshold control by Pfr of hypocotyl elongation also operates in light-pretreated, partly de-etiolated seedlings after transfer to darkness. The experimental results show that this is the case. Calculation of the threshold level in far-red light pretreated seedlings led to a very low value (3 times 10⁻⁷%) compared to etiolated seedlings (3 times 10⁻²%). In red light pretreated seedlings the threshold level was calculated to be 9 times 10⁻⁷%. Since the light pretreatment affected the rate of degradation of phytochrome strongly (half-life of Ptot in continuous red light was found to be 35 min in far-red pretreated instead of 47 min in etiolated material), the difference in threshold level between far-red and red pretreated material cannot be interpreted unambiguously. However, the conclusion can be drawn that light nretreatment strongly increases the degradation rate of Pfr and decreases the threshold level.     

PHYTOCHROME CONTROL OF EXTRACELLULAR PEROXIDASE ACTIVITY IN MUSTARD INTERNODES: CORRELATION WITH GROWTH, and COMPARISON WITH THE EFFECT OF WOUNDING

Abstract— The effects of phytochrome status on extracellular peroxidase activity were investigated in Sinapis alba L. seedlings grown for 12 days under continuous white light and transferred to darkness after a red light or a far-red light pulse. The rates of extension growth and dry matter accumulation in the first internode were increased by the far-red light pulse. Extracellular proteins, obtained by low speed centrifugation of intact internodes infiltrated with CaCl₂, were separated by isoelectrofocusing, and four extracellular acidic peroxidases were resolved, the most active being A3 and A4 (both ˜60 kD). The activity of A4 was reduced by the far-red light pulse perceived by phytochrome, while the activity of A3 was unaffected. The promotion of internode extension growth caused by far-red light is biphasic [Casal and Smith (1989) Plant, Cell Environ. 12 ,511–50]. Changes in peroxidase activity were detected prior to the second, but not to the first phase of the internode growth promotion. The effects on both growth and peroxidase activity were virtually restricted to the upper half of the internode and, once established, did not subsequently increase in magnitude.
In contrast to the effects mediated by phytochrome, blue light pretreatments affected growth but not extracellular peroxidase activity. Wounding the internode reduced extension growth, increased the activity of A3, but caused no significant effects on A4.
Other extracellular proteins, separated in sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gels and stained with Coomassie blue, showed no significant differences. The concentration of extracellular proteins was higher in the upper than the lower half of the internode.
Results are discussed in terms of phytochrome effects in light grown plants, peroxidase activitv-arowth relationships, and extracellular peroxidase isoform functions.     

REGULATION OF PROTEIN PHOSPHORYLATION BY PHYTOCHROME IN Sorghum bicolor

Abstract— In vitro phosphorylation of some polypeptides was affected in extracts obtained from 5-and 6-day-old plants irradiated with 5 min of red light. The phosphorylation of 55 kDa polypeptide in both 5- and 6-day-old plants, a 60 kDa, and 76 kDa polypeptide in 6-day-old plants and 70 kDa, 67 kDa polypeptide in 5-day-old plants was stimulated by red light. This effect was reversible by far-red light. The extent of stimulation by red light and reversal by far-red light varied for different polypeptides. No differential effect of red and far-red light was seen on the phosphorylation of 94 and 40 kDa polypeptides. In fact, phosphorylation of 94 kDa polypeptide in 6-day-old plants decreased on red light irradiation. These results show that the phosphorylation or dephosphorylation of some proteins is affected by phytochrome and the effect of light is also dependent on the age of the plant.     

PHOTOBIOLOGIE DU MESOCOTYLE D'AVOINE I- ACTION DES RADIATIONS ROUGE CLAIR ET ROUGE SOMBRE

Abstract— Red light (around 6,550 Å.) and far-red light (around 7,300 Å) have been administered to excised first internodes of etiolated oat seedlings, and their effects upon growth by elongation have been studied. It has been found that red light inhibits much more the elongation produced bv gibberellic acid (GA) than that produced by 3-indolylacetic acid (IAA). Far-red light acts synergistically with GA in promoting elongation, but not with IAA. The effect of far-red is localized in the node and in the first 4 mm below the node, at least when the seedlings are 63 hr old. The stimulatory effect of the far-red radiation is observed when seedlings are younger than 65 hr or older than 69 hr after sowing. Except for a gradual decrease with age, there is no such two-peaked pattern for the sensitivity to red light. Red light promotes the elongation of the node and of the 2 mm-zone of the first internodes immediately below it. It inhibits the elongation of the zone comprised between 2 and 10 mm below the node. Various types of experiments could not demonstrate a true reversal of the red effect by far-red light and vice-versa . They indicated rather an additive effect of the inhibitory and stimulatory properties characteristic of each type of radiation.     

LIGHT-GROWN PLANTS OF THE CUCUMBER LONG HYPOCOTYL MUTANT EXHIBIT BOTH LONG-TERM AND RAPID ELONGATION GROWTH RESPONSES TO IRRADIATION WITH SUPPLEMENTARY FAR-RED LIGHT

Seedlings of wild type (WT) and the lh mutant of Cucumis sativus were grown in white light and given supplementary far-red radiation either to the whole plant, or via fiber-optic probes directed at the apical region of the hypocotyl. In both WT and mutant seedlings, reducing the ratio of red to far-red radiation resulted in significant increases in extension growth. Direct measurement of extension rate by transducer techniques revealed that the mutant seedlings responded to additional far-red radiation by an increment in extension rate that was equivalent to that observed with the WT seedlings. Assuming that the lh mutant is deficient in phytochrome B (Kendrick and Nagatani, The Plant Journal 1: 133–139, 1991), these results indicate that although phytochrome B clearly has an important role in the induction of the shade avoidance syndrome, it is unlikely to be the sole responsible receptor.     

PHOTOREVERSIBLE CHANGES IN pH OF PEA PHYTOCHROME SOLUTIONS

Abstract— Photoinduced pH changes in unbuffered solutions of undegraded pea phytochrome were studied at 10_oC by using a glass electrode. Red light irradiation caused alkalinization of the solutions in the pH range 5.2–xs7.5 and acidification in pH 7.5–8.9. The pH changes were fully reversed by a subsequent irradiation with far-red light. The red and far-red light effects were repeatedly reversible. The solution of tryptic peptide of phytochrome (mol. wt 60000) showed similar photoreversible pH changes.     

Gradient formation of anthocyanin in seedlings of Fagopyrum and Sinapis unilaterally exposed to red and far-red light

Abstract— Anthocyanin synthesis was measured in hypocotyl halves excised from Fagopyrum and Sinapis seedlings irradiated unilaterally or equilaterally with red or far-red light. Although no phototropic curvatures are produced by red or far-red exposure, a significant gradient in anthocyanin formation was observed for Fagopyrum seedlings and the trend for gradient formation is present in Sinapis seedlings. The gradient production in Fagopyrurn is correlated with this tissue's greater optical density. Since the intensities used do not inhibit elongation completely (through the phytochrome system) and an intensity gradient is present in the tissue (as evidenced by anthocyanin formation) it is concluded that (a) a steeper light gradient is required to induce phototropic curvatures or (b) a diffusible material affecting elongation growth prevents any differential from being established across the tissue.     

SOME EFFECTS OF LIGHT ON LEAF GROWTH IN PISUM SATIVUM AND TROPAEOLUM MAJUS

Abstract— The effect of wave-length of light on leaf expansion in Tropaeolum majus 'Double Orange Gleam' and Pisurn sativum 'Meteor' has been studied. In both species leaf growth is strongly promoted by light.
Increasing the daily duration of exposure to light increased leaf expansion in Tropueolum in both blue and red wave-bands over a range of light intensities. In Pisum a similar effect of ail increase in duration of irradiation was found over the whole range of intensities used for blue light but only at the highest intensity for red light: at the two lower intensities in red an increase in duration of the light treatment beyond 1 hr did not increase leaf expansion.
In both species a period of 4 hr of blue followed by 4 hr of red promoted leaf growth more than 4 hr of red followed by 4 hr of blue. The effect of a 4 hr period of red light was largely prevented when it was followed by far-red; the effect of 4 hr of blue light, on the other hand, was not affected by subsequent exposure to far-red.
It is concluded that leaf growth in Pisum and Tropaeolum is dependent not only on the 'low-energy' red/far-red reversible reaction but also on one or more 'high-enerFy' photo-reactions.     

THE PHOTORECEPTORS INVOLVED IN ANTHOCYANIN SYNTHESIS

Abstract— Experiments with irradiation sequences where red precedes far-red lead to the conclusion that, in turnip, phytochrome is the only pigment mediating anthocyanin synthesis in red and far-red. Results from experiments where far-red precedes red, however, suggest that more than one reaction is involved. A possible interpretation is that the 'high-energy' reaction in far-red and the low energy red/far-red reversible reaction are mediated by two different forms of phytochrome.
The 'high-energy' reaction in blue light does not appear to depend on phytochrome.     

Identification of a light-regulated protein kinase activity from seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana

Protein kinase transduction pathways are thought to be involved in light signaling in plants, but other than the photoreceptors, no protein kinase activity has been shown to be light-regulated in vivo. Using an in-gel protein kinase assay technique with histone H III SS as an exogenous substrate, we identified a light-regulated protein kinase activity with an apparent molecular weight ca 50 kDa. The kinase activity increased transiently after irradiation of dark-grown seedlings with continuous far red light (FR) and blue light (B) and decreased after irradiation with red light (R). The maximal activation was achieved after 30 min to 1 h with FR or B. After irradiation times longer than 2 h, the kinase activity decreased to below the sensitivity level of the assay. In Arabidopsis mutants lacking either the photoreceptors phytochrome A, phytochrome B or the blue-light receptor cryptochrome 1, kinase activity was undetectable, whereas in the photomorphogenic mutants cop1 and det1 the kinase activity was also observed in the absence of light signals, though still stimulated by B and FR. Interestingly, the R inhibition of the kinase activity was lost in the mutant hy5. Pretreatment with cycloheximide blocked the kinase activity.     

PHYTOCHROME IN ETIOPLASTS IN RELATION TO CHLOROPHYLL ACCUMULATION*

Abstract— De-etiolation of maize seedlings reduces their sensitivity for red light potentiation of rapid chlorophyll accumulation in white light. An earlier proposal (Raven and Spruit, 1973) attributes this to migration of the far-red absorbing form of phytochrome (P_fr) to receptors essential for chlorophyll synthesis, thereby increasing the local P_fr/total phytochrome (P_tot)ratio. We have studied etioplasts as possible loci for such P_(r receptors. The level of spectrophotometric phytochrome in purified etioplasts isolated from red preirradiated maize seedlings was higher than that of dark grown plants. The difference was marginally significant, however. We argue that migration of a fraction of cytoplasmic P_fr to the etioplasts, too small to be spectrophotometically demonstrable, could still meet the requirements of the model. Dark destruction of bulk spectrophotometric P_fr following saturating red irradiation of seedlings is not paralleled by a decrease of etioplast phytochrome. the latter remaining essentially constant over long periods. On the other hand, the potentiating effect of red light in intact seedlings is still partially reversible by far red light even after 24 h of darkness when destruction of bulk P_fr is complete. Since this demonstrates persistent presence of P_fr active in potentiation, we propose that at least part of this P_fr is associated with the etioplasts.     

RED-LIGHT-INDUCED GERMINATION OF LETTUCE SEEDS: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ESCAPE FROM REVERSIBILITY AND FLUENCE*

Abstract— Dormant seeds of Lactuca saliva L. (cv. ‘May Queen’) germinate after a brief light treatment. The seeds escape from photoreversibility by far-red irradiation after a lag time. The duration of the lag decreases with increasing levels of the far-red absorbing form of phytochrome (P_fr). During the lag time the percentage of seeds germinating after the reversing far-red irradiation is slowly rising. This is not due to an escape reaction proper, but to an increase of sensitivity to P_fr.     

A phytochrome-like protein AphC triggers the cAMP signaling induced by far-red light in the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. strain PCC7120

In the filamentous, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC7120, red light (630 nm) decreased, whereas far-red light (720 nm) increased cellular adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) content. To find a red and far-red light photoreceptor that triggers the cAMP signal cascade, we disrupted 10 open reading frame having putative chromophore-binding GAF domains. The response of the cellular cAMP concentration to red and far-red light in each open reading frame disruptant was determined. It was found that only the mutant of the gene all2699 failed to respond to far-red light. The open reading frame named as aphC encoded a protein with 920 amino acids including GAF domains similar to those involved in Cph2, a photoreceptor of Synechocystis sp. PCC6803. To determine which adenylate cyclase (AC) is responsible for far-red light signal, we disrupted all AC genes and found that CyaC was the candidate. The enzymatic activity of CyaC might be controlled by a far-red light photoreceptor through the phosphotransfer reaction. The site-specific mutant of the Asp59 residue of the receiver (R1) domain of CyaC lost its light-response capability. It was suggested that the far-red light signal was received by AphC and then transferred to the N-terminal response regulator domain of CyaC. Then its catalytic activity was stimulated, which increased the cellular cAMP concentration and drove the subsequent signal transduction cascade.     

THE EFFECT OF ORGANIC NITRATES IN PHYTOCHROME-CONTROLLED GERMINATION OF Paulownia tomentosa SEEDS

The long light irradiation requirement in Paulownia tomentosa (empress tree) seeds can be substituted by organic nitrates such as nitroglycerine, isosorbide di- and mononitrate, and pentaerythri-tyl tetranitrate and a pulse of red light (5 min). The most effective was nitroglycerine (0.1 mM). Its effect depended on the time of application, i.e. a simultaneous presence of P_fr and these compounds was required. The effect decreased with delayed time of application after red light pulse. In seeds imbibed in nitroglycerine, an escape from far-red light reversible action was similar to that obtained for seeds which can be induced to germinate by a brief exposure to red light. However, the application of nitroglycerine to seeds after a far-red light pulse was ineffective. The effectiveness of organic nitrates also depended on the number of nitro groups in the compound. Isosorbide mononitrate was less effective than isosorbide dinitrate. Substances with structures similar to nitroglycerine, such as glycerol and glyceryl triacetate, in combination with the pulse of red light, failed to reduce the long light requirement.     

EVIDENCE FOR PHYTOCHROME CONTROLLED ENDOMITOSIS AND CELL ELONGATION IN PISUM SATIVUM EPICOTYLS

Elongation and endomitosis were studied in the epicotyl cortex cells of germinating seeds of Pisum sativum cv. Rondo. One min of red light per 24 h is sufficient to fully inhibit endomitosis. Terminal far-red irradiation can reverse the red effect to the level established by far-red light alone. This justifies the conclusion that phytochrome is involved in the regulation of endomitotic DNA replication. Since far-red light alone inhibits endomitosis to about 50%, we conclude that very low levels of Pfr are required to influence the endomitotic cycle.     

MODE OF COACTION OF PHYTOCHROME AND BLUE LIGHT PHOTORECEPTOR IN CONTROL OF HYPOCOTYL ELONGATION

Abstract The rate of hypocotyl longitudinal growth in seedlings of Sesamum indicum L. is strongly inhibited by continuous blue light (cBL)† and slightly by continuous far-red light while continuous red light (cRL) or red light pulses are hardly effective from 60 h after sowing onwards. Between 36 and 60 h after sowing the growth rate responds to red light pulses the effect of which is fully reversible by long wavelength far-red light. When seedlings are kept in cBL for 3 days and then treated with red light hypocotyl growth rate responds strongly. However, RL effectiveness decreases with time after transfer from BL to RL. BL → darkness transfer experiments with different levels of P_fr established at the beginning of darkness show that after a BL pretreatment phytochrome (P_fr) alone is capable of fully controlling growth rate. When white light (WL) is given no BL effect is detectable in weak WL. Only high light fluxes maintain a typical BL growth rate. At medium WL fluxes elongation rate returns gradually to the dark rate. The simplest explanation of the data is that light absorbed by a separate BL photoreceptor is necessary to maintain responsivity to P_fr. With increasing age of the seedlings the requirement for BL increases strongly. On the other hand, brief light pulses—given to demonstrate photoreversibility of phytochrome—remain equally effective provided that responsivity to P_fr exists.