Abstract
Many plants flower in response to seasonal fluctuations in day length. The CONSTANS (CO) gene of Arabidopsis promotes flowering in long days. Flowering is induced when CO messenger RNA expression coincides with the exposure of plants to light. However, how this promotes CO activity is unknown. We show that light stabilizes nuclear CO protein in the evening, whereas in the morning or in darkness the protein is degraded by the proteasome. Photoreceptors regulate CO stability and act antagonistically to generate daily rhythms in CO abundance. This layer of regulation refines the circadian rhythm in CO messenger RNA and is central to the mechanism by which day length controls flowering.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Arabidopsis / genetics
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Arabidopsis / growth & development
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Arabidopsis / physiology*
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Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
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Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism*
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Cell Nucleus / metabolism
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Circadian Rhythm
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Cryptochromes
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Cysteine Endopeptidases / metabolism
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DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
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DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
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Darkness
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Drosophila Proteins*
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Eye Proteins*
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Flavoproteins / genetics
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Flavoproteins / metabolism*
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Flowers / growth & development*
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Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
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Light
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Multienzyme Complexes / metabolism
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Mutation
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Photoperiod*
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Photoreceptor Cells*
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Photoreceptor Cells, Invertebrate*
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Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins / genetics
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Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins / metabolism
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Phytochrome / genetics
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Phytochrome / metabolism*
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Phytochrome A
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Phytochrome B
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Plants, Genetically Modified
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Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex
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RNA, Messenger / genetics
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RNA, Messenger / metabolism
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RNA, Plant / genetics
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RNA, Plant / metabolism
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Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
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Transcription Factors / genetics
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Transcription Factors / metabolism*
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Transcription, Genetic
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Ubiquitin / metabolism
Substances
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Arabidopsis Proteins
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CONSTANS protein, Arabidopsis
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CRY1 protein, Arabidopsis
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Cryptochromes
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DNA-Binding Proteins
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Drosophila Proteins
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Eye Proteins
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FT protein, Arabidopsis
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Flavoproteins
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Multienzyme Complexes
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PHYA protein, Arabidopsis
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PHYB protein, Arabidopsis
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Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins
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Phytochrome A
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RNA, Messenger
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RNA, Plant
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Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins
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Transcription Factors
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Ubiquitin
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cry protein, Drosophila
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Phytochrome
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Phytochrome B
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Cysteine Endopeptidases
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Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex