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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Plant Gene Expression Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #182585
Title: PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTOR 1 IS A CRITICAL BHLH REGULATOR OF CHLOROPHYLL BIOSYNTHESIS

Author
item HUQ, ENAMUL - ARS-UCB PLNT GENE EXP CTR
item AL-SADY, BASSEM - ARS-UCB PLNT GENE EXP CTR
item HUDSON, MATTHEW - ARS-UCB PLNT GENE EXP CTR
item KIM, CHANHONG - SWISS INST TECH ZURICH
item APEL, KLAUS - SWISS INST TECH ZURICH
item QUAIL, PETER - ARS-UCB PLNT GENE EXP CTR

Submitted to: Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/3/2004
Publication Date: 9/24/2004
Citation: Huq, E., Al-Sady, B., Hudson, M., Kim, C., Apel, K., Quail, P.H. 2004. PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTOR 1 is a Critical bHLH Regulator of Chlorophyll Biosynthesis. Science 305(5692):1937-1941.

Interpretive Summary: Plants must achieve a delicate balance between the light energy absorbed by chlorophyll and their capacity to channel that energy into productive photochemical reactions. We have identified a protein called PIF1 that controls chlorophyll synthesis and binds to phytochrome. Our data suggest a signaling pathway by which chlorophyll biosynthetic rates are tightly controlled during the critical initial emergence of seedlings from subterranean darkness into sunlight.

Technical Abstract: Photosynthetic organisms must achieve a delicate balance between the light energy absorbed by chlorophyll and their capacity to channel that energy into productive photochemical reactions. Release of excess absorbed energy in the cell can cause lethal photooxidative damage. We identified a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor, designated PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTOR 1 (PIF1), that negatively regulates chlorophyll biosynthesis. pif1 mutant seedlings accumulate excess free protochlorophyllide when grown in the dark, with consequent lethal bleaching upon exposure to light. PIF1 interacts specifically with the photoactivated conformer of phytochromes A and B, suggesting a signaling pathway by which chlorophyll biosynthetic rates are tightly controlled during the critical initial emergence of seedlings from subterranean darkness into sunlight.