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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Plant Gene Expression Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #161016
Title: EARLY FLOWERING 4 FUNCTIONS IN PHYTOCHROME B-REGULATED SEEDLING DE-ETIOLATION1

Author
item KHANNA, RAJINISH - UCB-ARS PLNT GENE EXP CTR
item KIKIS, ELISE - UCB-ARS PLNT GENE EXP CTR
item QUAIL, PETER - UCB-ARS PLNT GENE EXP CTR

Submitted to: Plant Physiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/10/2003
Publication Date: 11/6/2003
Citation: KHANNA, R., KIKIS, E.A., QUAIL, P. EARLY FLOWERING 4 FUNCTIONS IN PHYTOCHROME B-REGULATED SEEDLING DE-ETIOLATION1. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY. 2003. 133:1530-1538.

Interpretive Summary: We identified a gene, called ELF4, involved in relaying light signals from phytochrome molecules to responsive genes in young seedlings. This gene was found to also control the timing of flowering adult plants, suggesting that it functions throughout the life cycle.

Technical Abstract: To define the functions of genes previously identified by expression profiling as being rapidly light induced under phytochrome (phy) control, we are investigating the seedling de-etiolation phenotypes of mutants carrying T-DNA insertional disruptions at these loci. Mutants at one such locus displayed reduced responsiveness to continuous red, but not continuous far-red light, suggesting a role in phyB signaling but not phyA signaling. Consistent with such a role, expression of this gene is induced by continuous red light in wild-type seedlings, but the level of induction is strongly reduced in phyB-null mutants. The locus encodes a novel protein that we show localizes to the nucleus, thus suggesting a function in light-regulated gene expression. Recently, this locus was identified as EARLY FLOWERING 4, a gene implicated in floral induction and regulating the expression of the gene CIRCADIAN CLOCK-ASSOCIATED 1. Together with these previous data, our findings suggest that EARLY FLOWERING 4 functions as a signaling intermediate in phy-regulated gene expression involved in promotion of seedling de-etiolation, circadian clock function, and photoperiod perception.