How and why do root apices sense light under the soil surface?

Light can penetrate several centimeters below the soil surface. Growth, development and behavior of plant roots are markedly affected by light despite their underground lifestyle. Early studies provided contrasting information on the spatial and temporal distribution of light-sensing cells in the apical region of root apex and discussed the physiological roles of plant hormones in root responses to light. Recent biological and microscopic advances have improved our understanding of the processes involved in the sensing and transduction of light signals, resulting in subsequent physiological and behavioral responses in growing root apices. Here, we review current knowledge of cellular distributions of photoreceptors and their signal transduction pathways in diverse root tissues and root apex zones. We are discussing also the roles of auxin transporters in roots exposed to light, as well as interactions of light signal perceptions with sensing of other environmental factors relevant to plant roots.

• Publication year

  2015

• Venue

  Frontiers in Plant Science

• Publication date

  2015-09-24

• Fields of study

  Biology, Medicine, Environmental Science

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.3389/fpls.2015.00775PMID 26442084PMCID 4585147
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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