Molecular 'blueprint' illuminates how plants perceive light

Plants rely on their ability to sense light for survival. But unlike animals, plants don't have eyes full of photoreceptors to capture and convey messages from visual stimuli. Instead, plants are coated with a network of light-sensing photoreceptors that detect different wavelengths of light, allowing them to regulate their lifecycles and adjust to environmental conditions. Now, scientists have determined the molecular structure of one of these vital photoreceptors -- a protein known as PhyB -- revealing a wholly different structure than previously known. The findings may have implications for agricultural and 'green' bioengineering practices.