Abstract
Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family transcription factor PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (PIF4) is necessary for plant adaption to light or high ambient temperature. PIF4 directly associates with plenty of its target genes and modulates the global transcriptome to induce or reduce gene expression levels. However, PIF4 activity is tightly controlled by its interacting proteins. Until now, twenty-five individual proteins have been reported to physically interact with PIF4. These PIF4-interacting proteins act together with PIF4 and form a unique nexus for plant adaption to light or temperature change. In this review, we will discuss the different categories of PIF4-interacting proteins, including photoreceptors, circadian clock regulators, hormone signaling components, and transcription factors. These distinct PIF4-interacting proteins either integrate light and/or temperature cues with endogenous hormone signaling, or control PIF4 abundances and transcriptional activities. Taken together, PIF4 and PIF4-interacting proteins play major roles for exogenous and endogenous signal integrations, and therefore establish a robust network for plants to cope with their surrounding environmental alterations.
Highlights
We focus on the already-published PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (PIF4)-interacting proteins (Table 1), and discuss their roles in the integration of plant hormone responses with light or temperature signaling
We propose that the multiple protein–protein interactions among PIF4 and PIF4-interacting proteins will generate a robust network for plants to respond to subtle light or temperature changes
High temperature promotes Pfr-phyB converted into the Pr form and facilitates PIF4induced cell elongation [3]. phyB-1 mutants show constitutively long hypocotyl phenotypes induced cell elongation [3]. phyB-1 mutants show constitutively long hypocotyl phenoat a temperature range from 12 ◦ C to 27 ◦ C
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Light and temperature are two pivotal exogenous cues for plants. To perceive and respond to exogenous environmental cues, plants elegantly modulate their endogenous phytohormone levels and/or signaling activities to promote or restrict cellular behaviors, and change the plant growth patterns. During the cross-talk between environmental cues and hormone signaling, basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTORs (PIFs) play central roles. Signals, and interacts with a bunch of proteins to regulate a series of downstream responses. We focus on the already-published PIF4-interacting proteins (Table 1), and discuss their roles in the integration of plant hormone responses with light or temperature signaling. We propose that the multiple protein–protein interactions among PIF4 and PIF4-interacting proteins will generate a robust network for plants to respond to subtle light or temperature changes
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