PHYRE, a Translated uORF, is Required for Phytochrome B Translation and Photomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis

Efficient phytochrome B (phyB) expression in Arabidopsis thaliana depends on translating the short 5'UTR uORF PHYTOCHROME REGULATOR (PHYRE), and PHYRE loss phenocopies phyB null mutants.

• Why it matters: Translational control is crucial for tuning protein output, but activating uORFs that enhance downstream translation are rare and their mechanisms in plants remain unclear.
• What they did: The study tests PHYRE function in Arabidopsis thaliana, showing PHYRE activity requires its peptide sequence and that the spacing between PHYRE and the phyB start codon critically affects downstream translation efficiency.
• The result: PHYRE-dependent translational gating is linked to photomorphogenesis phenotypes across germination, hypocotyl growth, leaf development, and flowering time, and PHYRE-like elements are conserved across eudicots.

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