Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The kinetics of type 1 phytochrome in green, light-grown wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

  • Published:
Planta Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The kinetics of type 1 phytochrome were investigated in green, light-grown wheat. Phytochrome was measured by a quantitative sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using monoclonal antibodies. The assay was capable of detecting down to 150 pg of phytochrome. In red light, rapid first-order destruction of the far-red-light-absorbing form of phytochrome (Pfr) with a half-life of 15 min was observed. Following white light terminated by red, phytochrome synthesis was delayed in darkness by about 15 h compared to plants given a terminal far-red treatment. Synthesis of the red-light-absorbing form of phytochrome (Pr) was zero-order in these experiments. Phytochrome synthesis in far-red light was approximately equal to synthesis in darkness in wheat although net destruction occurred in light-grown Avena sativa tissues in continuous far-red light, as has been reported for other monocotyledons. In wheat, destruction of Pfr apparently did not occur below a certain threshold level of Pfr or Pfr/total phytochrome. These results are consistent with an involvement of type 1 phytochrome in the photoperiodic control of flowering in wheat and other long-day plants.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ELISA:

enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

FR:

far-red light

HIR:

high-irradiance response

Pfr:

farred-light-absorbing form of phytochrome

Pr:

red-light-absorbing form of phytochrome

Ptot:

total phytochrome (Pr + Pfr)

R:

red light

References

  • Bradford, M.M. (1976) A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein using the principal of protein-dye binding. Anal. Biochem. 72, 248–254

    Google Scholar 

  • Butler, W.L., Lane, H.C., Seigelman, H.W. (1963) Nonphotochemical transformations of phytochrome in vivo. Plant Physiol. 38, 514–519

    Google Scholar 

  • Carr-Smith, H.D., Johnson, C.B., Thomas, B. (1989) Action spectrum for the effect of day-extensions on flowering and apex elongation in green, light-grown wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Planta 179, 428–432

    Google Scholar 

  • Furuya, M. (1989) Molecular properties and biogenesis of phytochrome I and II. Adv. Biophys. 25, 133–167

    Google Scholar 

  • Furuya, M., Ito, N., Tomizawa, K., Schäfer, E. (1991) A stable phytochrome regulates the expression of the phytochrome-1 gene in pea seedlings. Planta 183, 218–221

    Google Scholar 

  • Galfre, G., Milstein, C. (1981) Preparation of monoclonal antibodies: Strategies and procedures. Methods Enzymol. 73, 3–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Gammerman, A.Y., Fukshansky, L. (1974) A mathematical model of phytochrome — the receptor of photomorphogenetic processes in plants. Ontogenez 5, 122–129

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartmann, K.M. (1966) A general hypothesis to interpret high energy phenomena of photomorphogenesis on the basis of phytochrome. Photochem. Photobiol. 5, 1172–1175

    Google Scholar 

  • Hilton, J.R., Thomas, B. (1985) Comparison of seed and seedling phytochrome in Avena sativa L. using monoclonal antibodies. J. Exp. Bot. 36, 1937–1946

    Google Scholar 

  • Hilton, J.R., Thomas, B. (1987) Photoregulation of phytochrome synthesis in germinating embryos of Avena sativa L. J. Exp. Bot. 38, 1704–1712

    Google Scholar 

  • Jose, A.M., Vince-Prue, D., Hilton, J.R. (1977) Chlorophyll interference with phytochrome measurement. Planta 135, 119–123

    Google Scholar 

  • Kilmartin, K.V., Wright, B., Milstein, C. (1982) Rat monoclonal antitubulin antibodies derived by using a new nonsecreting rat cell line. J. Cell Biol. 93, 576–582

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagatani, A., Reed, J.W., Chory, J. (1993) Isolation and initial characterization of Arabidopsis mutants that are deficient in phytochrome A. Plant Physiol. 102, 269–271

    Google Scholar 

  • Parks, B.M., Quail, P.H. (1993) Hy8, a new class of Arabidopsis long hypocotyl mutants deficient in functional phytochrome A. Plant Cell 5, 39–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Principe, J.M., Hruschka, W.R., Thomas, B., Deitzer, G.F. (1992) Protein differences between two isogenic cultivars of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) that differ in sensitivity to photoperiod and far-red light. Plant Physiol. 98, 1444–1450

    Google Scholar 

  • Reed, J.W. Nagpal, P., Poole, D.S. FuruyaM.. Chory, J. (1993) Mutants in the gene for the red-far-red light receptor phytochrome B alter cell elongation and physiological responses throughout Arabidopsis development. Plant Cell 5, 147–157

    Google Scholar 

  • Schäfer, E. (1975) A new approach to explain the ‘high irradiance responses’ of photomorphogenesis on the basis of phytochrome. J. Math. Biol. 2, 41–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Schäfer, E., Marme, D., Marehal, B. (1972) In vivo measurements of the phytochrome photostationary state in far-red-light. Photochem. Photobiol. 15, 457–464

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharrock, R.A., Quail, P.H. (1989) Novel phytochrome sequences in Arabidopsis thaliana: Structure, evolution, and differential expression of a plant regulatory photoreceptor family. Genes Devel. 3, 1745–1757

    Google Scholar 

  • Shimazaki, Y., Cordonnier, M., Pratt, L.H. (1983) Phytochrome quantitation in crude extracts of Avena by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with monoclonal antibodies. Planta 159, 534–544

    Google Scholar 

  • Shimazaki, Y., Pratt, L.H. (1985) Immunological detection with rabbit polyclonal and mouse monoclonal antibodies of different pools of phytochrome from etiolated and green Avena shoots. Planta 164, 333–344

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, H., Whitelam, G.C. (1990) Phytochrome, a family of photoreceptors with multiple physiological roles. Plant Cell Environ. 13, 695–707

    Google Scholar 

  • Somers, D.E., Sharrock, R.A., Tepperman, J.M., Quail, P.H. (1991) The hy3 long hypocotyl mutant of Arabidopsis is deficient in phytochrome-b. Plant Cell 3, 1263–1274

    Google Scholar 

  • Stewart, S.J., Pratt, L.H., Cordonnier-Pratt, M-M. (1992) Phytochrome levels in light-grown Avena change in response to end of day irradiations. Plant Physiol. 99, 1708–1710

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, B. (1991) Phytochrome and photoperiodic induction. Physiol. Plant. 81, 570–577

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, B., Lumsden, P.J. (1984) Photoreceptor action and photoperiodic induction in Pharbitis nil. In: Light and the flowering process, pp.107–121, Vince-Prue D., Cockshull K.E., Thomas B., eds. Academic Press

  • Thomas, B., Crook, N.E., Penn, S.E. (1984a) An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for phytochrome. Physiol. Plant. 60, 409–415

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, B., Penn, S.E., Butcher, G.W., Galfre, G. (1984b) Discrimination between the red and far-red-absorbing forms of phytochrome from Avena sativa L. by monoclonal antibodies. Planta 160, 382–384

    Google Scholar 

  • Tokuhisa, J.G., Daniels, S.M., Quail, P.H. (1985) Phytochrome in green tissue: Spectral and immunochemical evidence for two distinct molecular species of phytochrome in light-grown Avena sativa L. Planta 164, 321–332

    Google Scholar 

  • Tokuhisa, J.G., Quail, P.H. (1983) Spectral and immunochemical characterisation of phytochrome isolated from light-grown Avena sativa (Abstr.) Plant Physiol. 72, Suppl., 85

    Google Scholar 

  • Vierstra, R.D., Quail, P.H. (1983) Purification and initial characterisation of 124-kdalton phytochrome from Avena. Biochemistry 22, 2498–2505

    Google Scholar 

  • Vince-Prue, D. (1975) Photoperiodism in Plants. McGraw-Hill, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Wall, J.K., Johnson, C.B. (1983) An analysis of phytochrome action in ‘the high irradiance response’. Planta 159, 387–397

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Y.C., Stewart, S.J, Cordonnier, M-M., Pratt, L.H. (1991) Avena sativa contains three phytochromes, only one of which is abundant in etiolated tissue. Planta 184, 96–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Y.C., Stewart, S.J., Cordonnier, M-M., Pratt, L.H. (1993a) Temporal and light regulation of the expression of three phytochromes in germinating seeds and young seedlings of Avena sativa L. Planta 189, 384–390

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Y.C., Stewart, S.J., Cordonnier, M-M, Pratt, L.H. (1993b) Spatial distribution of three phytochromes in dark- and lightgrown Avena sativa L. Planta 189, 391–396

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitelam, G.C, Johnson, E., Peng, J.R., Carol, P., Anderson, M. L., Cowl, J.S. and Harberd, N.P. (1993) Phytochrome A null mutants of Arabidopsis display a wild-type phenotype in white-light. Plant Cell 5, 757–768

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. C. Plumpton

    Present address: Clinical Pharmacology Department, University of Cambridge Clinical School, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, CB2 2QQ, Cambridge, UK

  2. G. W. Butcher

    Present address: The Babraham Institute, Babraham Hall, CB2 4AT, Babraham, Cambridge, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Plant Science Laboratories, University of Reading, Whiteknights, PO Box 221, RG6 2AS, Reading, Berkshire, UK

    H. D. Carr-Smith & C. B. Johnson

  2. Department of Molecular Biology, Horticulture Research International, Worthing Road, BN7 6LP, Littlehampton, West Sussex, UK

    C. Plumpton & B. Thomas

  3. Monoclonal Antibody Centre, A.F.R.C. Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics Research, Cambridge Research Station, CB2 4AT, Babraham, Cambridge, UK

    C. Plumpton & G. W. Butcher

Authors
  1. H. D. Carr-Smith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. B. Johnson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. C. Plumpton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. G. W. Butcher
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. B. Thomas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

The authors wish to thank Prof. Daphne Vince-Prue (University of Reading) for many helpful discussions regarding this work. Hugh Carr-Smith was supported by a Science and Engineering Research Council studentship and Chris Plumpton by an Agricultural and Food Research Council (AFRC) studentship. B. Thomas and G. Butcher were supported by the AFRC.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Carr-Smith, H.D., Johnson, C.B., Plumpton, C. et al. The kinetics of type 1 phytochrome in green, light-grown wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Planta 194, 136–142 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00201044

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00201044

Key words

Search

Navigation