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Questions about Lux

Short answers, pulled from the story.

When was the LUX gene sequenced in Arabidopsis thaliana?

A team at the Plant Gene Expression Center in Berkeley sequenced the LUX gene within Arabidopsis thaliana in 2000. This work formed part of the larger Arabidopsis Genome Initiative project.

Where does the LUX gene reside on the chromosome of Arabidopsis thaliana?

The LUX gene resides on the third chromosome of Arabidopsis thaliana and contains three exons. Upstream lies a promoter with an evening element sequence known as AAAATATCT.

What happens to circadian rhythms when the LUX gene is mutated in Arabidopsis thaliana?

Scientists demonstrated that without LUX, circadian rhythms failed completely in A. thaliana. Mutants lacking functional LUX fail to repress PIF4 and PIF5 growth factors during nighttime hours.

How do high temperatures affect the association between ELF3 and LUX proteins?

High temperatures abolish the association between ELF3 and LUX proteins in experimental settings. Normal plants reduce expression of these genes under varying temperature conditions while mutants show constitutively high expression.

Which protein forms a complex with ELF3 and ELF4 when LUX is absent from the system?

NOX protein forms a complex with ELF3 and ELF4 when LUX is absent from the system. NOX peaks in the late evening and binds DNA sequences similar to those targeted by LUX.