One of the key transitions in Arabidopsis development occurs as the seedling moves from the dark of the soil to the light it finds above the surface. This transition induces a change in the developmental program – from skotomorphogenesis to photomorphogenesis – that is regulated by the COP1/SPA ubiquitin ligase complex and the PIF family of transcription factors. However, while both COP1/SPA and PIFs show constitutive photomorphogenesis (cop) phenotypes, the relationship between the proteins has remained incompletely understood. Now, Vinh Ngoc Pham, Xiaosa Xu and Enamul Huq address this issue with molecular analysis of cop phenotypes. They first find that the levels of constitutively expressed PIF proteins are decreased in cop1 and spaQ mutants; conversely, overexpression of PIFs partially rescues the mutants’ cop phenotypes. Inhibition of the proteosome prevents PIF degradation, and RNA-seq reveals a cohort of genes commonly regulated by COP1, SPA and PIFs, which surprisingly includes a subset of genes oppositely regulated by COP1/SPA compared with PIFs. Many direct PIF targets are also co-regulated by COP1/SPA, and the positively acting transcription factor HFR1 inhibits the DNA binding activity of PIF1 in the dark by sequestering it. This work therefore revises our understanding of how cop phenotypes are regulated at the molecular level, shedding new light on the crucial transition from skotomorphogenesis to photomorphogenesis.
PIFs regulate seedling light perception
- Split-screen
- Views Icon Views
-
Article Versions Icon
Versions
- Version of Record 03 December 2018
- Share Icon Share
-
Tools Icon
Tools
- Search Site
PIFs regulate seedling light perception. Development 1 December 2018; 145 (23): e2305. doi:
Download citation file:
Advertisement
Cited by
Biologists @ 100 - join us in Liverpool in March 2025

We are excited to invite you to a unique scientific conference, celebrating the 100-year anniversary of The Company of Biologists, and bringing together our different communities. The conference will incorporate the Spring Meetings of the BSCB and the BSDB, the JEB Symposium Sensory Perception in a Changing World and a DMM programme on antimicrobial resistance. Find out more and register by 28 February 2025 to join us in March 2025 in Liverpool, UK.
Call for papers – Lifelong Development: the Maintenance, Regeneration and Plasticity of Tissues

Development invites you to submit your latest research to our upcoming special issue – Lifelong Development: the Maintenance, Regeneration and Plasticity of Tissues. This issue will be coordinated by Guest Editors Meritxell Huch (Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Germany) and Mansi Srivastava (Harvard University and Museum of Comparative Zoology, USA), working alongside our team of academic Editors. Submit your articles by 15 May 2025.
A case for broadening our view of mechanism in developmental biology

In this Perspective, B. Duygu Özpolat and colleagues survey researchers on their views on what it takes to infer mechanism in developmental biology. They examine what factors shape our idea of what we mean by ‘mechanism’ and suggest a path forward that embraces a broad outlook on the diversity of studies that advance knowledge in our field.
In preprints
Did you know that Development publishes perspectives on recent preprints? These articles help our readers navigate the ever-growing preprint literature. We welcome proposals for ‘In preprints’ articles, so please do get in touch if you’d like to contribute.