Abstract
Plants perceive light signals to adjust their growth and development to environmental conditions. To better understand the mechanism of blue-light response in plants, we used one of the most basal land plants, Marchantia polymorpha, as a model. Blue light induced phototropism in protonemata and young thalli. Blue as well as red light pulse promoted regeneration from edges of cut thalli. Far-red light pulse following blue light pulse did not affect thallus regeneration, indicating that this response is independent of phytochrome-mediated signaling. M. polymorpha cryptochrome gene, MpCRY was isolated. Southern-blot analysis suggested that MpCRY is a single-copy gene. The expression of MpCRY was downregulated by red and blue lights and upregulated by Far-red light and dark. The expression of photosynthesis genes, such as RbcS and Cab, were upregulated by blue light. M. polymorpha shows obvious blue-light responses, and, therefore, can be a model suitable for analysis of blue-light signaling.
