Time for circadian rhythms: plants get synchronized

Abstract

Most organisms adjust their physiology and metabolism in synchronization with the diurnal and seasonal time by using an endogenous mechanism known as circadian clock. In plants, light and temperature signals interact with the circadian system to regulate the circadian rhythmicity of physiological and developmental processes including flowering time. Recent studies in Arabidopsis thaliana now reveal that the circadian clock orchestrates not only the expression of protein coding genes but also the rhythmic oscillation of introns, intergenic regions, and noncoding RNAs. Furthermore, recent evidence showing the existence of different oscillators at separate parts of the plant has placed the spotlight on the diverse mechanisms and communicating channels that regulate circadian synchronization in plants.