'Biological clock' genes control plant growth

Charles Darwin is the first of more than 125 years ago, most of the night, according to the eruption of non-cultivated plants, 2007 - And this week, scientists reported the discovery of genes that control the symptoms.

These fast-growing rhythm, and the ability to move plants in response to light, Brief is actually controlled by a gene involved in the rhythm - "biological clock" genes are affected by light and dark hours vary, depending on their activities, both found It's getting more and different kinds of plants and animals the ability to control, nervous system functions ranging from economic growth and fertility.

"This is an incremental but important step to understanding how plants cultivation," said Todd mockler, assistant professor of botany at Oregon State University and co - author of the report, together with colleagues from the University of California / San Diego and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
Ultimately, this growth to understand the other person's genetic scientists to create plants that can grow fast, producing more food or other useful characteristics, the study said.

Research results are reported this week plos Biology, a professional journal. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

"We are now aware of the expression of specific genes and hormones, it is important to plant growth at night just before the dawn" mockler said. "During the day, focused on other tasks, such as plant photosynthesis and energy production. The response time of day, as well as plants, are also such things as the length of the stem and flowers to control the length of daylight saving time."

These mechanisms are more fully analyzed, they may also affect genetic modification, mockler said.

The dictionary is largely created using the biology and bio-suit, disconnect it from most of the micro-ohseu've done. Using this technology, more powerful computers that combine the traditional biological research can be used to examine thousands of genes in a very short period of time, just like creatures and their role is to determine which ones are active.

Researchers now believe that almost every plant gene expression only during certain hours a day, depending on growing conditions. And they use to maximize their chances of survival, growth and competition in the environmental movement - a plant leaf, for example, has literally moved in the other plants are shaded.

In 1880 - in one of his little-known work focuses on the evolution of animals, not Darwin, the first such phenomenon. This growth rate is not stable, he said, the plant growth spurts regularly, often at night.

Research results of the research is happening inside the plant arabidopsis, a small mustard plant family, one of the commonly used as a model for genetic research. Avid enzyme, luciferase, is attached to determine which genes are responsible for the growth of rhythm. And it went to the radiative effects, starting with hormone functions of the genes responsible for creating growth in the dark of night.

This process involved in the research program, learned that the most common genetic sequence of DNA to those people to phone in the "magic" elements "in the dawn of the hormone."

Further research is needed to identify the protein's ability to adhere to this trick to control the elements. Scientists have identified the regulators said could open the door of the plants is how to control the growth and yield.