Plants Let Chloroplasts Know the Time
March 20, 2013| |
Researchers from the University of Bristol have demonstrated that plant cells communicate information about the time of day to their chloroplasts. The team was able to show that the production of 'sigma factors' - part of the cellular machinery in chloroplasts - is controlled by the plant's clock, enabling the nuclear DNA to regulate activities of chloroplast genes, and ensuring that the production of proteins needed for photosynthesis is coordinated with daylight.
Dr. Antony Dodd of Bristol's School of Biological Sciences said that, "This is a major breakthrough that provides a completely new perspective on daily circadian rhythms. We have learnt from this work that timing information moves between different parts of the cell, and in particular involves the chloroplast, which is the part of the cell that underpins all agricultural productivity on the planet.
More information is available at http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/news/food-security/2013/130315-pr-plants-let-chloroplasts-know-time.aspx.
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