A mobile ELF4 delivers circadian temperature information from shoots to roots

First author: Wei Wei Chen; Affiliations: 农业基因组学研究中心 (Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics): Barcelona, Spain

Corresponding author: Paloma Mas

The circadian clock is synchronized by environmental cues, mostly by light and temperature. Explaining how the plant circadian clock responds to temperature oscillations is crucial to understanding plant responsiveness to the environment. Here, we found a prevalent temperature-dependent function of the Arabidopsis clock component EARLY FLOWERING 4 (ELF4) in the root clock. Although the clocks in roots are able to run in the absence of shoots, micrografting assays and mathematical analyses show that ELF4 moves from shoots to regulate rhythms in roots. ELF4 movement does not convey photoperiodic information, but trafficking is essential for controlling the period of the root clock in a temperature-dependent manner. Low temperatures favour ELF4 mobility, resulting in a slow-paced root clock, whereas high temperatures decrease movement, leading to a faster clock. Hence, the mobile ELF4 delivers temperature information and establishes a shoot-to-root dialogue that sets the pace of the clock in roots.

生物钟主要与光和温度等环境信号同步。诠释清楚植物生物钟是如何响应于温度波动的，这对于深入理解植物对环境的响应至关重要。本文中，作者发现拟南芥的生物钟组分早花因子ELF4在根的生物钟中发挥温度依赖性的功能。尽管根的生物钟可以在缺失地上组织的情况下保持运转， 但是嫁接试验和计算分析显示来自地上组织的ELF4会在根中调控节律。ELF4由shoot-to-root的迁移并不会传递光周期信息，但是确实会以一种温度依赖性的方式控制根的生物钟周期。低温有利于ELF4的迁移，导致根的生物钟减缓；而高温则会减少ELF4的迁移，导致根的生物钟加快。因此，移动的ELF4传递了温度信息，建立了一个shoot-to-root的联系，并决定了根的生物钟节奏。

通讯：Paloma Mas (https://www.cragenomica.es/staff/detail/paloma-mas)

研究方向：以拟南芥为模式植物鉴定生物钟的组份和机制。

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-020-0634-2

Journal: Nature Plants

Published date: April 13, 2020

p.s. 通讯往期文章链接：

Genome Biology：植物生物钟与染色质调控交互机制综述

Developmental Cell：拟南芥生物钟通过细胞周期调控植物生长

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