Exogenous cytokinin treatment maintains cyclin homeostasis in rice seedlings that show changes of cyclin expression when the photoperiod is rapidly changed

Cyclin is a fundamental regulator of the plant cell cycle. Five different types of cyclin genes (the A-, B-, C-, D-, and H-types) have been reported in Oryza sativa. However, except for Os;cycA1;1, Os;cycB2;1, and Os;cycB2;2, the mechanisms of expression of these cyclin genes have not yet been studied. The interactions of cyclins with cytokinin, an important trigger for cell cycle regulation, have also not been well studied. Here we used semi-quantitative RT-PCR in rice seedlings to analyze the effect of cytokinin on photomorphogenesis and the expression of six cyclin genes. Fifteen-day-old seedlings were grown in a 16/8 h light/dark cycle and then transferred to either constant light or constant dark. The expression of all the cyclin genes tested, except the C-type, decreased after 1 hour in the dark, but did not change after transfer to the light or when kinetin was added to the medium. Similarly, seedlings grown in the dark had decreased expression of the cyclin genes, except Os;cycB2;2, after transfer to the light, a decrease that was prevented by kinetin treatment. Thus, exogenous cytokinin plays an important role in maintaining homeostasis of cyclin gene expression following rapid changes of photoperiod.