Hours per week
Objectives of the course (preferably expressed in terms of learning outcomes and competences): Specific knowledge focused on the light perception, photoreceptors, light signal transduction chains and photoregulated responses in plants.
Course contents: Photons and photoregulated responses. Light perception and photoreceptors. Action spectra and characterization of the primary photoreceptors. Types of photoregulated responses (photoinduced- and HIR-responses). Photoreceptors (phytochromes and cryptochromes). Gene expression and regulation of phytochromes. Functional models of PHYA and PHYB. Molecular structure and function of cryptochromes (CRY1, CRY2/PHH1 & NPH1). Light induced signal transduction chains. Photoreceptors interactions. Photoregulated metabolic pathways. Photomorphogenesis (germination, de-etiolation, shade avoidance, “end of day” response, flowering). Phototropism. The physiology and molecular bases of the plant circadian clock. Synthetic photoreceptors. Biotechnological applications.
The Department of Biology of the University of Crete was established in 1981 and is today an internationally recognized center for contemporary university education and research in the field of Biology.