Phytochrome diversification in cyanobacteria and eukaryotic algae

•Recent structural studies identify intramolecular signal propagation mechanisms.•Recent transcriptomic studies illuminate the distribution of phytochrome in algae.•Recent studies reveal conserved plant and algal phytochrome signaling mechanisms.

Phytochromes control almost every aspect of plant biology, including germination, growth, development, and flowering, in response to red and far-red light. These photoreceptors thus hold considerable promise for engineering crop plant responses to light. Recently, structural research has shed new light on how phytochromes work. Genomic and transcriptomic studies have improved our understanding of phytochrome loss, retention, and diversification during evolution. We are also beginning to understand phytochrome function in cyanobacteria and eukaryotic algae.

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