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Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Light

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Plant Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 March 2024) | Viewed by 12484

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The absorption of light energy by the plant is the basis for photosynthesis, and growth and development. However, different photoreceptors in the plant specifically recognize different wavelengths of light signals to regulate growth and development. Hence, light can be manipulated for the purpose of controlling many aspects of the plants including flowering and photomorphogenesis. In addition to natural light, the significant development and wide applications of artificial lighting systems, such as fluorescent, high-pressure sodium and metal halide lamps, and even light-emitting diodes, are used as supplemental or sole sources of light for varied purposes. As opposed to the natural sunlight which provides a whole range of light spectrum, artificial lights contain limited range of spectrum and therefore, the composition of the spectrum can be added on to accomplish the desired efficacy. The light can now be used in plant tissue culture, promotion of growth and development nursery plants, photoperiodic control of flowering, and enhancing horticultural productivity in greenhouses and plant factories. As researchers have put various effort to reveal the roles of light in the plant for a long period of time, more and more underlying mechanisms at cellular and molecular levels are revealed, making this as one of the most interesting research topics in current plant science.

In this special issue, we would like to invite authors to publish original research papers and critical reviews on ‘Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Light’. Although it is not exclusive, the focus will be on expression of genes, biosynthesis of metabolites and antioxidants, resistance to stresses, photomorphogenesis, photoperiodic responses, and nutrient uptake of plants in response to light.

Prof. Dr. Qichang Yang
Prof. Dr. Byoung Ryong Jeong
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • celluar mechanism
  • light
  • molecular mechanism
  • plant growth, Plant development
  • gene expression
  • primary and secondary metabolites
  • photomorphogenesis
  • photoperiod response
  • stress resistance
  • nutrient uptake

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 9525 KiB  
Article
Supplementary Low Far-Red Light Promotes Proliferation and Photosynthetic Capacity of Blueberry In Vitro Plantlets
by Yuting Wang, Zhehao Jiang, Wenxiang Li, Xiaolong Yang, Chengming Li, Dunxu Cai, Yunxue Pan, Wei Su and Riyuan Chen
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(2), 688; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25020688 - 05 Jan 2024
Viewed by 731
Abstract
Far-red light exerts an important regulatory influence on plant growth and development. However, the mechanisms underlying far-red light regulation of morphogenesis and photosynthetic characteristics in blueberry plantlets in vitro have remained elusive. Here, physiological and transcriptomic analyses were conducted on blueberry plantlets in [...] Read more.
Far-red light exerts an important regulatory influence on plant growth and development. However, the mechanisms underlying far-red light regulation of morphogenesis and photosynthetic characteristics in blueberry plantlets in vitro have remained elusive. Here, physiological and transcriptomic analyses were conducted on blueberry plantlets in vitro supplemented with far-red light. The results indicated that supplementation with low far-red light, such as 6 μmol m−2 s−1 and 14 μmol m−2 s−1 far-red (6FR and 14FR) light treatments, significantly increased proliferation-related indicators, including shoot length, shoot number, gibberellin A3, and trans-zeatin riboside content. It was found that 6FR and 14 FR significantly reduced chlorophyll content in blueberry plantlets but enhanced electron transport rates. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) showed the enrichment of iron ion-related genes in modules associated with photosynthesis. Genes such as NAC, ABCG11, GASA1, and Erf74 were significantly enriched within the proliferation-related module. Taken together, we conclude that low far-red light can promote the proliferative capacity of blueberry plantlets in vitro by affecting hormone pathways and the formation of secondary cell walls, concurrently regulating chlorophyll content and iron ion homeostasis to affect photosynthetic capacity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Light)
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25 pages, 11312 KiB  
Article
Growth Light Quality Influences Leaf Surface Temperature by Regulating the Rate of Non-Photochemical Quenching Thermal Dissipation and Stomatal Conductance
by Magdalena Trojak and Ernest Skowron
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(23), 16911; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242316911 - 29 Nov 2023
Viewed by 619
Abstract
Significant efforts have been made to optimise spectrum quality in indoor farming to maximise artificial light utilisation and reduce water loss. For such an improvement, green (G) light supplementation to a red–blue (RB) background was successfully employed in our previous studies to restrict [...] Read more.
Significant efforts have been made to optimise spectrum quality in indoor farming to maximise artificial light utilisation and reduce water loss. For such an improvement, green (G) light supplementation to a red–blue (RB) background was successfully employed in our previous studies to restrict both non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) and stomatal conductance (gs). At the same time, however, the downregulation of NPQ and gs had the opposite influence on leaf temperature (Tleaf). Thus, to determine which factor plays the most prominent role in Tleaf regulation and whether such a response is temporal or permanent, we investigated the correlation between NPQ and gs and, subsequently, Tleaf. To this end, we analysed tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Malinowy Ozarowski) grown solely under monochromatic LED lamps (435, 520, or 662 nm; 80 µmol m−2 s−1) or a mixed RGB spectrum (1:1:1; 180 µmol m−2 s−1) and simultaneously measured gs and Tleaf with an infrared gas analyser and a thermocouple or an infrared thermal camera (FLIR) during thermal imaging analyses. The results showed that growth light quality significantly modifies Tleaf and that such a response is not temporal. Furthermore, we found that the actual adaxial leaf surface temperature of plants is more closely related to NPQ amplitude, while the temperature of the abaxial surface corresponds to gs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Light)
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16 pages, 1338 KiB  
Article
Appropriate Nitrogen form Ratio and UV-A Supplementation Increased Quality and Production in Purple Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)
by Binbin Liu, Pengpeng Mao, Qi Yang, Hengshan Qin, Yaliang Xu, Yinjian Zheng and Qingming Li
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(23), 16791; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242316791 - 27 Nov 2023
Viewed by 680
Abstract
Purple lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Zhongshu Purple Lettuce) was chosen as the trial material, and LED intelligent light control consoles were used as the light sources. The purpose was to increase the yield and quality of purple lettuce while lowering its [...] Read more.
Purple lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Zhongshu Purple Lettuce) was chosen as the trial material, and LED intelligent light control consoles were used as the light sources. The purpose was to increase the yield and quality of purple lettuce while lowering its nitrate level. By adding various ratios of NO3-N and NH4+-N to the nutrient solution and 20 µmol m−2 s−1 UV-A based on white, red, and blue light (130, 120, 30 µmol m−2 s−1), the effects of different NO3-N/NH4+-N ratios (NO3-N, NO3-N/NH4+-N = 3/1, NH4+-N) and UV-A interaction on yield, quality, photosynthetic characteristics, anthocyanins, and nitrogen assimilation of purple lettuce were studied. In order to produce purple lettuce hydroponically under controlled environmental conditions, a theoretical foundation and technological specifications were developed, taking into account an appropriate UV-A dose and NO3-N/NH4+-N ratio. Results demonstrate that adding a 20 µmol m−2 s−1 UV-A, and a NO3-N/NH4+-N treatment of 3/1, significantly reduced the nitrate level while increasing the growth, photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll, carotenoid, and anthocyanin content of purple lettuce. The purple leaf lettuce leaves have an enhanced capacity to absorb nitrogen. Furthermore, plants have an acceleration of nitrogen metabolism, which raises the concentration of free amino acids and soluble proteins and promotes biomass synthesis. Thus, based on the NO3-N/NH4+-N (3/1) treatment, adding 20 µmol m−2 s−1 UV-A will be helpful in boosting purple lettuce production and decreasing its nitrate content. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Light)
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14 pages, 8475 KiB  
Article
High-Proportion Blue Light Irradiation at the End-of-Production Stage Promotes the Biosynthesis and Recycling of Ascorbate in Lettuce
by Chengbo Zhou, Zonggeng Li, Wenke Liu, Zhonghua Bian, Wei Lu, Bo Zhou, Sen Wang, Qingming Li and Qichang Yang
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(22), 16524; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242216524 - 20 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 651
Abstract
Ascorbate (AsA), an essential antioxidant for both plants and the human body, plays a vital role in maintaining proper functionality. Light plays an important role in metabolism of AsA in horticultural plants. Our previous research has revealed that subjecting lettuce to high light [...] Read more.
Ascorbate (AsA), an essential antioxidant for both plants and the human body, plays a vital role in maintaining proper functionality. Light plays an important role in metabolism of AsA in horticultural plants. Our previous research has revealed that subjecting lettuce to high light irradiation (HLI) (500 μmol·m−2·s−1) at the end-of-production (EOP) stage effectively enhances AsA levels, while the optimal light quality for AsA accumulation is still unknown. In this study, four combinations of red (R) and blue (B) light spectra with the ratio of 1:1 (1R1B), 2:1 (2R1B), 3:1 (3R1B), and 4:1 (4R1B) were applied to investigate the biosynthesis and recycling of AsA in lettuce. The results demonstrated that the AsA/total-AsA content in lettuce leaves was notably augmented upon exposure to 1R1B and 2R1B. Interestingly, AsA levels across all treatments increased rapidly at the early stage (2–8 h) of irradiation, while they increased slowly at the late stage (8–16 h). The activity of L-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase was augmented under 1R1B treatment, which is pivotal to AsA production. Additionally, the activities of enzymes key to AsA cycling were enhanced by 1R1B and 2R1B treatments, including ascorbate peroxidase, dehydroascorbate reductase, and monodehydroascorbate reductase. Notably, hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde accumulation increased dramatically following 16 h of 1R1B and 2R1B treatments. In addition, although soluble sugar and starch contents were enhanced by EOP-HLI, this effect was comparatively subdued under the 1R1B treatment. Overall, these results indicated that AsA accumulation was improved by irradiation with a blue light proportion of over 50% in lettuce, aligning with the heightened activities of key enzymes responsible for AsA synthesis, as well as the accrual of hydrogen peroxide. The effective strategy holds the potential to enhance the nutritional quality of lettuce while bolstering its antioxidant defenses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Light)
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14 pages, 10009 KiB  
Article
Integrated Analysis of Morphological, Physiological, Anatomical and Molecular Responses of Cassava Seedlings to Different Light Qualities
by Qin Zhou, Ruimei Li, Alisdair R. Fernie, Yannian Che, Zhongping Ding, Yuan Yao, Jiao Liu, Yajie Wang, Xinwen Hu and Jianchun Guo
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(18), 14224; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241814224 - 18 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 841
Abstract
Light quality is highly important for growth control of in vitro plant cultures. Here, we investigated the effect of blue light (BL), red light (RL) and combined red and blue light (RBL) on in vitro cassava growth. Our results indicate that RL facilitated [...] Read more.
Light quality is highly important for growth control of in vitro plant cultures. Here, we investigated the effect of blue light (BL), red light (RL) and combined red and blue light (RBL) on in vitro cassava growth. Our results indicate that RL facilitated radial elongation of cassava and increased stomatal conductance as well as glucose, sucrose, fructose and starch content in leaves and cellulose content in the stem. It also enhanced SOD and POD activities but decreased the stomatal density and chlorophyll and carotenoid content in leaves. In addition, RL leads to shorter palisade cells, denser chloroplasts and more starch granules. These phenotypic changes were inverted following BL treatment. The expression levels of photosynthesis-related genes MeLHCA1, MeLHCA3, MePSB27-2, MePSBY, MePETE1 and MePNSL2 in leaves were at their lowest following RL treatment, while the expression levels of MePSB27-2, MePSBY, MePETE1 and MePNSL2 were at their highest after BL treatment. The phenotypic changes after RBL treatment were between the values observed for the RL and BL treatments alone. Moreover, the responses of SC8 and SC9 cassava varieties to light quality were largely conserved. As such, we believe that the results of this study lay the foundation for controlling the in vitro growth of cassava seedlings by light quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Light)
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20 pages, 2772 KiB  
Article
XAANTAL1 Reveals an Additional Level of Flowering Regulation in the Shoot Apical Meristem in Response to Light and Increased Temperature in Arabidopsis
by Mónica Rodríguez-Bolaños, Tania Martínez, Saray Juárez, Stella Quiroz, Andrea Domínguez, Adriana Garay-Arroyo, María de la Paz Sanchez, Elena R. Álvarez-Buylla and Berenice García-Ponce
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(16), 12773; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241612773 - 14 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 906
Abstract
Light and photoperiod are environmental signals that regulate flowering transition. In plants like Arabidopsis thaliana, this regulation relies on CONSTANS, a transcription factor that is negatively posttranslational regulated by phytochrome B during the morning, while it is stabilized by PHYA and cryptochromes [...] Read more.
Light and photoperiod are environmental signals that regulate flowering transition. In plants like Arabidopsis thaliana, this regulation relies on CONSTANS, a transcription factor that is negatively posttranslational regulated by phytochrome B during the morning, while it is stabilized by PHYA and cryptochromes 1/2 at the end of daylight hours. CO induces the expression of FT, whose protein travels from the leaves to the apical meristem, where it binds to FD to regulate some flowering genes. Although PHYB delays flowering, we show that light and PHYB positively regulate XAANTAL1 and other flowering genes in the shoot apices. Also, the genetic data indicate that XAL1 and FD participate in the same signaling pathway in flowering promotion when plants are grown under a long-day photoperiod at 22 °C. By contrast, XAL1 functions independently of FD or PIF4 to induce flowering at higher temperatures (27 °C), even under long days. Furthermore, XAL1 directly binds to FD, SOC1, LFY, and AP1 promoters. Our findings lead us to propose that light and temperature influence the floral network at the meristem level in a partially independent way of the signaling generated from the leaves. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Light)
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13 pages, 2927 KiB  
Article
Light Quality and Sucrose-Regulated Detached Ripening of Strawberry with Possible Involvement of Abscisic Acid and Auxin Signaling
by Leiyu Jiang, Xinpeng Chen, Xianjie Gu, Meiyi Deng, Xiaotong Li, Aiyang Zhou, Mengyue Suo, Weiliang Gao, Yuanxiu Lin, Yan Wang, Wen He, Mengyao Li, Qing Chen, Yong Zhang, Ya Luo, Xiaorong Wang, Haoru Tang and Yunting Zhang
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(6), 5681; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065681 - 16 Mar 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1313
Abstract
The regulation of detached ripening is significant for prolonging fruit shelf life. Although light quality and sucrose affecting strawberry fruit ripening have been widely reported, little information is available about how they co-regulate the strawberry detached ripening process. In this study, different light [...] Read more.
The regulation of detached ripening is significant for prolonging fruit shelf life. Although light quality and sucrose affecting strawberry fruit ripening have been widely reported, little information is available about how they co-regulate the strawberry detached ripening process. In this study, different light qualities (red light—RL, blue light—BL, and white light—WL) and 100 mM sucrose were applied to regulate the ripening of initial red fruits detached from the plant. The results showed RL-treated samples (RL + H2O, RL + 100 mM sucrose) had brighter and purer skin color with a higher L*, b*, and C* value, and promoted the ascorbic acid. Almost all light treatments significantly decreased TSS/TA (total soluble solid/titratable acid) and soluble sugar/TA ratio, which is exacerbated by the addition of sucrose. Blue or red light in combination with sucrose notably increased total phenolic content and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation. In addition, blue or red light combined with sucrose increased abscisic acid (ABA) content and promoted ABA signaling by inducing ABA-INSENSITIVE 4 (ABI4) expression and inhibiting SUCROSE NONFERMENTING1-RELATED PROTEIN KINASE 2.6 (SnRK2.6) expression. The strawberries exposed to blue and red light significantly improved auxin (IAA) content compared to the control (0 d), whereas the addition of sucrose inhibited IAA accumulation. Moreover, sucrose treatment suppressed the AUXIN/INDOLE-3-ACETIC ACID 11 (AUX/IAA11) and AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR 6 (ARF6) expression under different light qualities. Overall, these results indicated that RL/BL + 100 mM sucrose might promote the detached ripening of strawberries by regulating abscisic acid and auxin signaling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Light)
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16 pages, 3070 KiB  
Article
Effects of Light Intensity on Physiological Characteristics and Expression of Genes in Coumarin Biosynthetic Pathway of Angelica dahurica
by Yongjie Huang, Yongnan Zhai, Ya Huang, Yufeng Huang, Kun Liu, Jie Zhang and Jihai Zhou
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(24), 15912; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232415912 - 14 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1374
Abstract
Plants are affected by changes in light and adaptation mechanisms can affect secondary metabolite synthesis. In this study, the physiological response and regulation of the coumarin biosynthetic pathway of Angelica dahurica to different light intensities (natural light (CK), shade rate 50% (L1), shade [...] Read more.
Plants are affected by changes in light and adaptation mechanisms can affect secondary metabolite synthesis. In this study, the physiological response and regulation of the coumarin biosynthetic pathway of Angelica dahurica to different light intensities (natural light (CK), shade rate 50% (L1), shade rate 70% (L2), and shade rate 90% (L3)) were examined. The chlorophyll content, level of the enzymes of the antioxidant system, extent of lipid peroxidation, and concentrations of the osmoregulatory solute levels were determined in potted plants. Root transcriptome under different light intensities was sequenced using high-throughput technology, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to coumarin biosynthesis were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). With increasing shade, Chl a, Chl b, Chl a + b, and Chl a/b content increased, while the Chl a/b ratio decreased. The antioxidant enzyme system activity and extent of membrane lipid peroxidation increased. The soluble protein (SP) and proline (Pro) content decreased with the reduction in the light intensity, and soluble sugar (SS) content was found to be highest at 50% shade. The RNA-seq analysis showed that 9388 genes were differentially expressed in the L3 group (7561 were upregulated and 1827 were downregulated). In both the L1 and L2 groups, DEGs were significantly enriched in “Ribosome biosynthesis”; meanwhile, in the L3 group, the DEGs were significantly enriched in “Amino and ribonucleotide sugar metabolism” in KEGG metabolic pathway analysis. Additionally, 4CL (TRINITY_DN40230_c0_g2) and COMT (TRINITY_DN21272_c0_g1) of the phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway were significantly downregulated in the L3 group. In conclusion, A. dahurica grew best under 50% shade and the secondary-metabolite coumarin biosynthetic pathway was inhibited by 90% shade, affecting the yield and quality of medicinal compounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Light)
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18 pages, 12722 KiB  
Article
Physiological and Transcriptomic Analysis Revealed the Molecular Mechanism of Pinus koraiensis Responses to Light
by Yuxi Li, Xinxin Zhang, Yan Zhu, Kewei Cai, Hanxi Li, Qiushuang Zhao, Qinhui Zhang, Luping Jiang, Yan Li, Tingbo Jiang and Xiyang Zhao
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(21), 13608; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232113608 - 06 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1323
Abstract
Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc.), as the main tree species in northeast China, has important economic and ecological values. Currently, supplementary light has been widely used in plant cultivation projects. However, the studies about different supplementary light sources on the [...] Read more.
Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc.), as the main tree species in northeast China, has important economic and ecological values. Currently, supplementary light has been widely used in plant cultivation projects. However, the studies about different supplementary light sources on the growth and development of Korean pine are few. In this study, the one with no supplementary light was used as the control, and two kinds of light sources were set up: light-emitting diode (LED) and incandescent lamp, to supplement light treatment of Korean pine. The spectrum and intensity of these two light sources were different. The results showed that the growth and physiological–biochemical indicators were significantly different under different supplementary light treatments. The biomass of supplementary light treatment was significantly lower than the control. Compared with the control, IAA and GA were lower, and JA, ABA, ZT, and ETH were higher under supplementary light conditions. Photosynthetic parameters in supplementary light conditions were significantly lower than the control. Supplemental light induces chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoid accumulation. From RNA-seq data, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were observed in all the comparison groups, and there were 487 common DEGs. The expression levels of DEGs encoding transcription factors were also changed. According to GO and KEGG analysis, the plant hormone signal transduction, circadian rhythm-plant, and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways were the most enriched. These results provided a theoretical basis for the response of Korean pine to different supplementary lights. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Light)
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Review

Jump to: Research

15 pages, 640 KiB  
Review
The Role of Light-Regulated Auxin Signaling in Root Development
by Fahong Yun, Huwei Liu, Yuzheng Deng, Xuemei Hou and Weibiao Liao
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(6), 5253; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065253 - 09 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2655
Abstract
The root is an important organ for obtaining nutrients and absorbing water and carbohydrates, and it depends on various endogenous and external environmental stimulations such as light, temperature, water, plant hormones, and metabolic constituents. Auxin, as an essential plant hormone, can mediate rooting [...] Read more.
The root is an important organ for obtaining nutrients and absorbing water and carbohydrates, and it depends on various endogenous and external environmental stimulations such as light, temperature, water, plant hormones, and metabolic constituents. Auxin, as an essential plant hormone, can mediate rooting under different light treatments. Therefore, this review focuses on summarizing the functions and mechanisms of light-regulated auxin signaling in root development. Some light-response components such as phytochromes (PHYs), cryptochromes (CRYs), phototropins (PHOTs), phytochrome-interacting factors (PIFs) and constitutive photo-morphorgenic 1 (COP1) regulate root development. Moreover, light mediates the primary root, lateral root, adventitious root, root hair, rhizoid, and seminal and crown root development via the auxin signaling transduction pathway. Additionally, the effect of light through the auxin signal on root negative phototropism, gravitropism, root greening and the root branching of plants is also illustrated. The review also summarizes diverse light target genes in response to auxin signaling during rooting. We conclude that the mechanism of light-mediated root development via auxin signaling is complex, and it mainly concerns in the differences in plant species, such as barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), changes of transcript levels and endogenous IAA content. Hence, the effect of light-involved auxin signaling on root growth and development is definitely a hot issue to explore in the horticultural studies now and in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Responses to Light)
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