8B.

6 Phytochrome and Flowering

28/03/22

Learning outcomes:
- Understand how phytochrome, auxin (IAA)
and gibberellins bring about responses in
plants, including their effects on transcription.

Key words:

Do Now: Outline the role of gibberellins (next slide)

 Do Now: Outline the role of gibberellins
Choose the numbers that correctly identifies the
functions of gibberellins :

1. Growth regulators – stimulate the elongation of

growing cells and affect the internodes of stems

2. Ensures shoots and leaves are healthy

3. Promotes the growth of fruit

4. Break dormancy in seeds and germination

5. Promotes the ripening of fruit

6. Stimulate bolting and flowering

 Do Now: Outline the role of gibberellins
Choose the numbers that correctly identifies the
functions of gibberellins :

1. Growth regulators – stimulate the elongation of

growing cells and affect the internodes of stems

2. Ensures shoots and leaves are healthy

3. Promotes the growth of fruit

4. Break dormancy in seeds and germination

5. Promotes the ripening of fruit

6. Stimulate bolting and flowering

Task: Outline the role of gibberellin in the germination of
seeds such as those of wheat and barley. [5]
Arrange sentences into the correct order
1. Water softens the testa covering and enters the seed
2. Water stimulates the embryo to produce gibberellins 1.
3. Gibberellin diffuses into the aleurone layer where is induces the
transcription of genes to produce amylase and other enzymes that
are manufactured from it’s protein store
4. Germination is triggered by soaking the seeds in water
5. The glucose diffuses into the embryo where it is used to provide
the ATP and raw material needed for growth.
6. The seed absorbs the water and swells – the embryo is now
activated
7. Amylase and other enzymes diffuse into the endosperm and
hydrolyses the starch in the endosperm into maltose, which in
turn is hydrolysed by maltase into glucose
Do Now: Outline the role of gibberellin in the germination
of seeds such as those of wheat and barley. [5]

Role of Gibberellins in breaking dormancy

• Germination is triggered by soaking the seeds in water

• Water softens the testa covering and enters the seed
• The seed absorbs the water and swells – the embryo is now activated
• Water stimulates the embryo to produce gibberellins
• Gibberellin diffuses into the aleurone layer where is induces the
transcription of genes to produce amylase and other enzymes that are
manufactured from it’s protein store
• Amylase and other enzymes diffuse into the endosperm and
hydrolyses the starch in the endosperm into maltose, which in turn is
hydrolysed by maltase into glucose
• The glucose diffuses into the embryo where it is used to provide the
ATP and raw material needed for growth.
 Light and plant development

Photomorphogenesis - a change in plant

development induced by specific kinds of
light and not dependent on photosynthesis.

What evidence from

the picture shows
that
photomorphogenesis
is not dependent on
photosynthesis?
 Sensory System in Plants

• Light is a very important sensory cue in plants.

• Sensory system in plants provide information
about the environment such as:
Am I in the light?
Do I have competitors?
Is it time to flower?
• The one that is mostly understood by scientist
is the photoreceptor PHYTOCHROME.

What is a phytochrome?
What is a phytochrome?
 PHYTOCHROME
• A phytochrome is a blue-green pigment found in plant
cells that is sensitive to different types of light and
therefore affects the responses of the plant.

• Phytochromes have two interconvertible forms it can

exist in:
- P-red light sensitive (Pr/P660) and
- P –far red light sensitive (Pfr/730) forms.

• The actual plant response is very specific to each

species, and some plants do not respond at all.
 Photoreversible
• Many phytochrome responses are reversible.
• Absorption of red light will cause a response that is
reversed by far red light.
• Red ≈ 650 - 680 nm.
• Far red ≈ 710 - 740 nm.
• Red light converts Pr to Pfr.
• Far red light converts Pfr to Pr.
• This is the basis of the photoreversible
responses.
Classification: Internal
NB: In the absence of light (dark)
the Pfr slowly converts back to
Pr. Physiologically active
form of phytochrome

Red light
Pr Pfr
Chlorophyll
Far-red light production

De-etiolation
Germination
Classification: Internal
Red light
Pfr Pr
de-etiolated etiolated
Classification: Internal

Checkpoint
Classification: Internal

Task Answers
Classification: Internal

Photoreversible and ratio of the two forms

Classification: Internal

Sunlight

Mostly red
A little far red
Classification: Internal

In sunlight

Pfrr
Pfr
Pfr Pr
Prfr Pfr
Prfr Prfr Pfr

Pfr Pfr Prfr Prfr

Prfr Pfr
Prfr
Pfrr Pfrr
Pfr Pfr

In sunlight most P gets converted to Pfr form.

Classification: Internal

Start of night
Most P in Pfr form.

Pfrr
Pfr
Pfr Pr
Prfr Pfr
Prfr Prfr Pfr

Pfr Pfr Prfr Prfr

Prfr Pfr
Prfr
Pfrr Pfrr
Pfr Pfr
Classification: Internal

In the dark
Pfr form changes gradually to Pr form.

Pfrr
Prfr Pfr
Pfr Pr
Pfr
Prfr Prfr Prfr

Pfr Prfr Prfr Prfr

Prfr Pfr
Prfr
Pfrr Pfrr
Pfr Prfr
Classification: Internal

After a short night

Much Pfr still left.

Pfrr
Prfr Pfr
Pfr Pr
Pfr
Prfr Prfr Prfr

Pfr Prfr Prfr Prfr

Prfr Pfr
Prfr
Pfrr Pfrr
Pfr Prfr
Classification: Internal

After a long night

All the Pfr is gone.

Prfr
Prfr Prfr
Prfr Pr
Prfr
Prfr Prfr Prfr

Prfr Prfr Prfr Prfr

Prfr Prfr
Prfr
Prfr Prfr
Prfr Prfr
Classification: Internal

Phytochrome and flowering.

When is the right time to flower?

Classification: Internal

When is the right time to flower?

• Unreliable indicators of time of year

– Temperature
– Moisture
– Light levels
• Reliable: length of day/night
– Varies with season
– Varies with latitude
• Detected by phytochrome which cause a
photoperiodic response.
Classification: Internal

Photoperiodism
• Photoperiodism the response by an organism in
response to changes in day length.

• This is important because the change in length of

the day indicates the season
- Days getting shorter indicate winter
approaching.
- Days getting longer indicate summer
approaching.
• Some plants regulate their flowering this way.
• Response varies with age of the plant and varies in
its intensity.
• Broadly there are three categories.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQf3gKTCffs
Classification: Internal

Categories
Type Long Day Plant Short Day Plants Day Neutral Plants
(LDPs) = short night (SDPs) = Long night (DNPs)
plants plants

Day length (number of hours of (number of hours of Do not respond to

dark shorter than dark longer than day length
critical period) critical period)

Response to • flowering • flowering inhibited Response to different

phytochrome stimulated by red by red light cues e.g. water levels,
light • stimulated by far- light levels and
• inhibited by far-red Temperature.
red light
light • Pfr low
• Pfr high

Examples • Oaths • Rice Cucumber

• Cabbages • Cotton Holly
Maize
Classification: Internal

LDP SDP
Long day: Pfr left at end of short night.
Pfr promotes flowering for LDPs.
Pfr inhibits flowering for SDPs.

Short day: Pfr gone at end of long night.

No Pfr to promote flowering for LDPs.
No Pfr to inhibit flowering for SDPs.
Classification: Internal

The night break phenomenon

•CRITICAL DAY LENGTH
•CRITICAL NIGHT LENGTH
•For plants with a critical night length, a short
flash of light in the middle of the night would
make the plant behave as if it had been
exposed to a long day and stop flowering.
Classification: Internal
Classification: Internal
Classification: Internal

Florigens (FTmRNA)

Task: Critical Literacy

Read through How is the signal received
(pg 282-3) and make notes.
Practice: Answer Checkpoint questions 2 & 3.
Pages 283 Edexcel Biology student book 2

15 minutes
Classification: Internal

Answer to checkpoint Q1b, pg 283

Classification: Internal

Answer to checkpoint Q2-3, pg 283

The control of flowering
Classification: Internal
Classification: Internal

Summary
Classification: Internal

Task:
Classification: Internal

Task Answers:
Classification: Internal

8B.7 Phytochrome and transcription

Task: Critical Literacy

Read through (pg 284-5) and make notes.
Practice: Answer Checkpoint questions 1 & 2.

15 minutes
Classification: Internal

Answer to Checlpoint Q2 - 8B.7