Circadian regulation of cell division

Abstract

Plants are photosynthetic organisms, which use light, as main source of energy, for growth and development. Because sun-light is also mutagenic, many organisms, from most kingdoms, have evolved an internal time-tracking system, so-called the circadian, which restricts cell division to specific times of the day in when DNA is less exposed to UV damage ("escape from mutagenic light" theory). While the circadian regulation of cell division has been extensively characterized in animals and unicellular green algae, little is known about the photoperiodic regulation of cell division in land plants. Recent findings about the possible links between cell division, the circadian clock and the DNA damage checkpoint are discussed. © 2008 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.