Biochem. J. (2006) 397
(15–24) (Printed in Great Britain)
Review article
How plants tell the time
Michael J. GARDNER, Katharine E. HUBBARD, Carlos T. HOTTA, Antony N. DODD and Alex A. R. WEBB1
Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EA, U.K.
Plants, like all eukaryotes and most prokaryotes, have evolved sophisticated mechanisms for anticipating predictable environmental changes that arise due to the rotation of the Earth on its axis. These mechanisms are collectively termed the circadian clock. Many aspects of plant physiology, metabolism and development are under circadian control and a large proportion of the transcriptome exhibits circadian regulation. In the present review, we describe the advances in determining the molecular nature of the circadian oscillator and propose an architecture of several interlocking negative-feedback loops. The adaptive advantages of circadian control, with particular reference to the regulation of metabolism, are also considered. We review the evidence for the presence of multiple circadian oscillator types located in within individual cells and in different tissues.
Key words: biological rhythm, circadian clock, photoperiodism, plant, temperature regulation, timekeeping.
Abbreviations used: aRNA, antisense RNA; CAB, chlorophyll A/B-binding protein; CAT3, catalase 3; CBS, CCA1-binding site; CCA1, CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED 1; CHS, CHALCONE SYNTHASE; COP1, CONSTITUTIVELY PHOTOMORPHOGENIC 1; CO, CONSTANS; CRY, cryptochrome; [Ca2+]cyt, cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration; DET1, DE-ETIOLATED 1; ELF, EARLY FLOWERING; FT, FLOWERING LOCUS T; FRQ, FREQUENCY; GRP, GLYCINE-RICH PROTEIN; GI, GIGANTEA; LHY, LATE ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL; LKP2, LIGHT OXYGEN OR VOLTAGE/KELCH PROTEIN 2; LOV, LIGHT OXYGEN OR VOLTAGE; LUC, LUCIFERASE; LUX, LUX ARRHYTHMO; NR, nitrate reductase; PER, PERIOD; PHOT, phototropin; PHY, phytochrome; PRR, PSEUDO RESPONSE REGULATOR; Skp1, S-phase kinase-associated protein 1; SCF, Skp1/cullin/F-box; SCN, suprachiasmatic nucleus; SPY, SPINDLY; TOC1, TIMING OF CAB EXPRESSION 1; ZTL, ZEITLUPE.
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (email alex.webb@plantsci.cam.ac.uk).
Received 3 April 2006; accepted 8 May 2006
Published on the Internet 14 June 2006, doi:10.1042/BJ20060484
The Biochemical Society, London ©2006
Editorial Advisory Panel
RSS feeds
Table of contents by email
My BJ toolbox
