As the primary driver of photosynthesis, light simultaneously acts as a vital environmental cue directing plant growth and developmental programs. The circadian clock functions as an intrinsic timing mechanism that synchronizes physiological and metabolic rhythms with daily environmental light-dark cycles. Sunlight serves as a major Zeitgeber, resetting the clock and activating photoreceptors to modulate the transcription and activity of core oscillator components. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the interactions between distinct photoreceptors and major signaling components of circadian clock in Arabidopsis thaliana, emphasizing how light perception pathways influence circadian rhythm regulation and how the clock, in turn, feeds back to shape light-dependent responses. We highlight the pivotal role of light, elucidating how specific wavelengths modulate the circadian system through photoreceptors and downstream signaling factors, ultimately fine-tuning plant-environment interactions.
Shi et al. (Sun,) studied this question.