Lluïsa Moysset Agustí

Biography

Lluïsa Moysset Agustí is Professor from Department of Plant Physiology at University of Barcelona. Lluïsa topic of interest is Photocontrol of plant development. Plant photoreceptors and signal transduction mechanisms. Circadian rhythms.

Research Interest

 Integration of light signalling and circadian rhythms: de-etiolation and leaflet movements in plants.  Description: Light is vital for photosynthesis, but it is also necessary to direct plant growth and development.  Higher plants have evolved a sophisticated photosensory system that detects the quality, quantity, direction and duration of light and use this information to control their developmental pattern. This array of photoreceptors includes phytochromes which absorb maximally red/far-red light, the cryptochromes, phototropins, and the zeitlupe family which sense blue/UV-A light, and UVR8 which absorbs UV-B light. Many light dependent physiological processes are regulated by a circadian clock. Circadian-regulated responses ensure the organism’s optimal adaptation to its local environment. To fulfil their role the circadian clock must be synchronized to their local environment. The most important entraining signal is light, and both phytochromes and cryptochromes are involved in setting the clock. In our research group, we have been focusing our attention on the identification of intermediates - calcium, nitric oxide and protein kinases - in  phytochrome and cryptochrome signalling and its interaction with circadian rhythms.  We investigate these events at molecular, biochemical and physiological levels using seedling de-etiolation and both nyctinastic and rhythmic leaflet movements which have long been used as a model for studying circadian rhythms. Keywords:  phytochrome, cryptochrome, calcium, nitric oxide, protein kinases, leaflet movements, nyctinastic movements, rhythmic movements, circadian clock, circadian rhythms, de-etiolation, Cucumis, legumes, pulvini, plant tissue culture.