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  • Perspective
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Decoding darkness by seeking photoreceptor functions with and without light

Nature Plants (2026) Cite this article

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Abstract

Plants decode environmental light cues through photoreceptors to orchestrate growth and developmental programs. Upon photon absorption, photoreceptor proteins transition from non-photoexcited to photoexcited states, with most functional studies focusing on the activities of the photoexcited form. However, emerging evidence reveals that non-photoexcited photoreceptors exert distinct biological functions in darkness, suggesting unexpected complexity in photon-mediated signalling. In this Perspective, we enumerate current observations underpinning photoreceptor-mediated control of plant development in darkness, categorize mechanisms of photon-dependent modulation and propose an expanded conceptual model that integrates both photoexcited and non-photoexcited activities. These insights reassess the previously overlooked importance of darkness, redefining light and darkness as dynamic, multidimensional regulators of plant physiology.

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Fig. 1: Light-induced alterations in photoreceptor protein properties.
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 2: Photocycle of CRY.
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 3: Photoreceptors function in darkness.
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 4: Modes of photo-driven photoreceptor modulation.
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Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by the National Key R&D Program of China (grant no. 2024YFA1306700 to H.L.), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos 32330006, 32150007 and 31825004 to H.L. and 32500207 to D.Z.), the Shenzhen Science and Technology Program (grant no. SYSRD20250529112700001 to H.L.) and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (grant nos 2025T180708 and 2025M772556 to D.Z.).

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  1. Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Utilization of Light in Plants, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China

    Desheng Zeng & Hongtao Liu

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  1. Desheng Zeng
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  2. Hongtao Liu
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D.Z. wrote the initial draft of the manuscript and prepared the figures. D.Z. performed revisions under H.L.’s supervision. H.L. managed the manuscript submission and funding acquisition.

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Correspondence to Hongtao Liu.

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Zeng, D., Liu, H. Decoding darkness by seeking photoreceptor functions with and without light. Nat. Plants (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-026-02307-7

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