Optimizing photosynthesis by targeting light signaling transcriptional networks

Light serves as a crucial environmental signal for plants alongside providing energy for photosynthesis. Photomorphogenesis, light-induced plant developmental responses, involves photoreceptors perceiving light signals to initiate signaling cascades with downstream transcriptional networks. Light is also absorbed by photopigments to drive photosynthetic light reactions, providing energy for growth and metabolism. As light serves as a primary cue for both photomorphogenesis and photosynthesis, a crosstalk between the two processes is anticipated. While transcriptional regulation of photomorphogenesis is investigated in detail, our understanding of the transcriptional control of photosynthesis remains limited. Recent studies have shown the involvement of photoreceptors and key light-signaling transcription factors, such as PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTORs and ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5, in the regulation of photosynthesis. This review highlights the transcriptional regulation of photosynthesis but also provides a broader perspective on the involvement of key photomorphogenesis transcription factors in the regulation of photosynthesis. The review further discusses strategies to investigate and manipulate the light signaling transcriptional regulatory networks for optimizing photosynthetic efficiency.