Light, chromatin, action: nuclear events regulating light signaling in Arabidopsis

The plant nucleus provides a major hub for environmental signal integration at the chromatin level. Multiple light signaling pathways operate and exchange information by regulating a large repertoire of gene targets that shape plant responses to a changing environment. In addition to the established role of transcription factors in triggering photo-regulated changes in gene expression, there are eminent reports on the significance of chromatin regulators and nuclear scaffold dynamics in promoting light-induced plant responses. Here, we report and discuss recent advances in chromatin-regulatory mechanisms modulating plant architecture and development in response to light, including the molecular and physiological roles of key modifications such as DNA, RNA and histone methylation, and/or acetylation. The significance of the formation of biomolecular condensates of key light signaling components is discussed and potential applications to agricultural practices overviewed.