Identification of genes and network in response to long/middle/short day photoperiod,. Leaves under 3 photoperiods

Seasonal and latitudinal changes are two physical components that influence a photoperiod. These changes may affect annual photoperiodic cycles, which in turn influences the daily circadian rhythm, which is the internal clock system of an organism. However, information on how plants respond to dynamic photoperiods at the molecular level is limited. In this study,4,657 photoperiod-specific genes were identified, of which 3,305 were upregulated and 1,352 were downregulated. These genes were thus identified to be involved in photoperiod rhythm. With 208 genes selected from 1,985 photoperiod-specific genes coding DNA binding protein (DBP), 8 co-expression patterns were identified, which were non-uniformly distributed across the 3 photoperiods and orchestrated the transition dynamics of the 3 photoperiods. A time course test with qRT-PCR indicated that at least 10 min of light or dark is required for the photoperiod-specific genes to respond to the transition between darkness and light.