Transcriptome analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana photoreceptor mutants impaired in UV and blue light signaling

Plants use sunlight as a source of energy for photosynthesis but also as an important environmental cue to regulate growth, development and light acclimation. Wavelengths in the UV-B (280-315 nm) and UV-A/blue (315-500 nm) regions of the spectrum are perceived by UV RESISTANCE LOCUS 8 (UVR8) and cryptochromes (CRY1 and CRY2), respectively. Despite recent advances in our understanding of how these photoreceptors promote photomorphogenesis, very little is known about the molecular mechanisms regulated by UVR8 and CRYs in sunlight exposed plants. Here, a factorial experiment was designed to assess the roles of UVR8 and CRYs in regulating transcriptome wide changes, hormone accumulation, and growth competence of Arabidopsis thaliana plants exposed to solar UV-B, UV-A, and blue radiation. Transcriptome profiling of solar UV and blue responses in Arabidopsis wild-type Ler and photoreceptor mutants (uvr8-2 and cry1cry2) to assess the roles of UVR8 and cryptochromes in the regulation of gene expression in sunlight.