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. 1999 Aug;11(8):1445–1456. doi: 10.1105/tpc.11.8.1445

Light quality-dependent nuclear import of the plant photoreceptors phytochrome A and B

S Kircher 1, L Kozma-Bognar 1, L Kim 1, E Adam 1, K Harter 1, E Schafer 1, F Nagy 1
PMCID: PMC144301  PMID: 10449579

Abstract

The phytochrome (phy) family of plant photoreceptors controls various aspects of photomorphogenesis. Overexpression of rice phyA-green fluorescent protein (GFP) and tobacco phyB-GFP fusion proteins in tobacco results in functional photoreceptors. phyA-GFP and phyB-GFP are localized in the cytosol of dark-adapted plants. In our experiments, red light treatment led to nuclear translocation of phyA-GFP and phyB-GFP, albeit with different kinetics. Red light-induced nuclear import of phyB-GFP, but not that of phyA-GFP, was inhibited by far-red light. Far-red light alone only induced nuclear translocation of phyA-GFP. These observations indicate that nuclear import of phyA-GFP is controlled by a very low fluence response, whereas translocation of phyB-GFP is regulated by a low fluence response of phytochrome. Thus, light-regulated nucleocytoplasmic partitioning of phyA and phyB is a major step in phytochrome signaling.

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Selected References

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