phytochrome

[ fahy-tuh-krohm ]

noun

, Botany.

1. a plant pigment that is associated with the absorption of light in the photoperiodic response and that may regulate various types of growth and development.

phytochrome

/ ˈfaɪtəʊˌkrəʊm /

noun

1. botany a blue-green pigment existing in two interchangeable forms, present in most plants, that mediates many light-dependent processes, including photoperiodism and the greening of leaves

phytochrome

/ fī′tə-krōm′ /

1. Any of a group of cytoplasmic pigments found in green plants and some green algae that absorb red light and regulate dormancy, seed germination, and flowering. Phytochromes consist of a bile pigment attached to a protein, and occur in an active and inactive form, each of which can be converted into the other depending on the wavelength of red light that is absorbed.

Word History and Origins

Origin of phytochrome¹

First recorded in 1890–95; phyto- + -chrome

Example Sentences

Though all of them contain the temperature-sensing protein phytochrome B, some of these organelles are sensitive to temperature, and others aren't.

From Science Daily

Dr Jones, looking for an optogenetic gene expression switch that could be applied under normal horticultural light conditions without impacting on endogenous plant physiology and development, sought advice from J. Clark Lagarias, from UC Davis, who is an expert in phytochrome and cyanobacteriochrome light-switches.

From Science Daily

In the 27 April 2020 issue of Plant Direct, Lagarias and his colleagues reported that a particular mutation they discovered in rice plants alters a light-sensitive protein called phytochrome B, enabling it to trigger growth and development in the absence of light.

From Science Magazine

The terminal phycobilisome emitter, LCM: A light-harvesting pigment with a phytochrome chromophore.

From Nature

The scientists searched for and compared the DNA sequences of neochrome, phototropin, and phytochrome.

From Scientific American