A mobile ELF4 delivers circadian temperature information from shoots to roots.

Abstract

The circadian clock is synchronized by environmental cues, mostly by light and temperature. Elucidating how the plant circadian clock responds to temperature oscillations is crucial to understand plant responsiveness to the environment. Here we found a prevalent temperature-dependent function of the Arabidopsis clock component ELF4 (EARLY FLOWERING 4) in the root clock. Although the root clock is 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 to control the period of the root clock in a temperature-dependent manner. At low temperatures, ELF4 mobility is favored, resulting in a slow-paced root clock while 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.