Light at the Heart of Time: How Photoreceptors Entrain the Circadian Clock

Mar 11, 2026Plant communications

How Light Sensors Set the Body’s Internal Clock

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Abstract

Light acts as a major environmental cue that influences plant growth and circadian rhythms.

  • The circadian clock synchronizes plant physiological and metabolic processes with daily light-dark cycles.
  • Sunlight serves as a key cue, resetting the circadian clock and activating photoreceptors.
  • Interactions between photoreceptors and signaling components are crucial for regulating circadian rhythms in plants.
  • Specific wavelengths of light can modulate the circadian system through photoreceptors and downstream signaling factors.
  • The circadian clock influences how plants respond to light, shaping their interactions with the environment.

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