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Signal Transduction Mechanisms in Phytochrome Action

  • Conference paper
Signal Perception and Transduction in Higher Plants

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASIH,volume 47))

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Abstract

Phytochrome is a chromoprotein of molecular weight approximately 120–125 000 (depending on the source) with an open chain tetrapyrrole chromophore. There are two stable forms of the molecule in vivo. One, known as Pr, has an Amax at around 660nm: phytochrome is synthesised in this form. Absorption of light by Pr results in phototransformation via a series of intermediates to an equilibrium mixture in which the other stable form, Pfr, which has an Amax at ca. 730nm predominates. This form in turn is photoconvertible back to the Pr form so that light of any spectral quality, monochromatic or broad band, results in the formation of an equilibrium mixture of the two forms which depends on the spectral quality. The range of variation in natural daylight results in maximal variation in this equilibrium, so that phytochrome is an excellent sensor of daylight quality (Figure 1). The function of phytochrome is the detection of such changes and redirection of plant development accordingly: the collective name given to these responses is photomorphogenesis.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Science Laboratories, University of Reading, Whiteknights Reading, RG6 2AS, UK

    C. B. Johnson

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  1. C. B. Johnson
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre de Physiologie Végétale, Université Paul Sabatier, URA CNRS n°241, 118, Route de Narbonne, 31062, Toulouse Cédex, France

    Raoul Ranjeva  & Alain M. Boudet  & 

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© 1990 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Johnson, C.B. (1990). Signal Transduction Mechanisms in Phytochrome Action. In: Ranjeva, R., Boudet, A.M. (eds) Signal Perception and Transduction in Higher Plants. NATO ASI Series, vol 47. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-83974-0_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-83974-0_18

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-83976-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-83974-0

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