Arabidopsis Transcription Factor ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL5 Plays a Role in the Feedback Regulation of Phytochrome A Signaling

Abstract

Phytochrome A (phyA) is the primary photoreceptor responsible for perceiving and mediating various responses to far-red light in Arabidopsis thaliana. FAR-RED ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL1 (FHY1) and its homolog FHY1-LIKE (FHL) are two small plant-specific proteins essential for light-regulated phyA nuclear accumulation and subsequent phyA signaling processes. FHY3 and its homolog FAR-RED IMPAIRED RESPONSE1 (FAR1) are two transposase-derived transcription factors that directly activate FHY1/FHL transcription and thus mediate subsequent phyA nuclear accumulation and responses. Here, we report that ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL5 (HY5), a well-characterized bZIP transcription factor involved in promoting photomorphogenesis, directly binds ACGT-containing elements a few base pairs away from the FHY3/FAR1 binding sites in the FHY1/FHL promoters. We demonstrate that HY5 physically interacts with FHY3/FAR1 through their respective DNA binding domains and negatively regulates FHY3/FAR1-activated FHY1/FHL expression under far-red light. Together, our data show that HY5 plays a role in negative feedback regulation of phyA signaling by attenuating FHY3/FAR1-activated FHY1/FHL expression, providing a mechanism for fine-tuning phyA signaling homeostasis.