In their active state, phytochrome molecules bind themselves to DNA to restrict plant growth.

在其活跃状态下，光敏色素分子将自身与 DNA 结合以限制植物生长。

'Light-driven changes to phytochrome activity occur very fast, in less than a second, ' says Wigge.

“光敏色素活性的光驱动变化发生得非常快，不到一秒钟，”Wigge 说。

If a plant finds itself in shade, phytochromes are quickly inactivated-enabling it to grow faster to find sunlight again.

如果植物发现自己处于阴凉处，光敏色素会迅速失活——使其能够更快地生长以再次找到阳光。

Wigge believes phytochrome thermo-sensing evolved at a later stage, and co-opted the biological network already used for light-based growth during the downtime of night.

Wigge 认为光敏色素热感应是在较晚的阶段进化而来的，并且在夜间停工期间采用了已经用于光基生长的生物网络。

At night, these molecules change states, and the pace at which they change is 'directly proportional to temperature', say scientists, who compare phytochromes to mercury in a thermometer.

科学家说，在晚上，这些分子会改变状态，而它们改变的速度“与温度成正比”，他们将光敏色素比作温度计中的水银。

The new findings, published in the journal Science, show that phytochromes control genetic switches in response to temperature as well as light to dictate plant development.

发表在《科学》杂志上的新发现表明，光敏色素控制基因开关以响应温度和光来控制植物发育。

Wigge explains: 'Oak trees rely much more on temperature, likely using phytochromes as thermometers to dictate development, whereas ash trees rely on measuring day length to determine their seasonal timing.

Wigge 解释说：“橡树更依赖于温度，可能使用光敏色素作为温度计来指示发育，而白蜡树则依靠测量日长来确定它们的季节时间。

'Just as mercury rises in a thermometer, the rate at which phytochromes revert to their inactive state during the night is a direct measure of temperature, ' says Wigge.

“就像水银在温度计中升高一样，光敏色素在夜间恢复到非活性状态的速度是温度的直接测量值， ”Wigge 说。

The work was done in a model system, using a mustard plant called Arabidopsis, but Wigge says the phytochrome genes necessary for temperature sensing are found in crop plants as well.

这项工作是在一个模型系统中完成的，使用了一种叫做拟南芥的芥菜植物，但 Wigge 说， 在农作物中也发现了温度感应所必需的光敏色素基因。

In fact, the discovery of the dual role of phytochromes provides the science behind a well-known rhyme long used to predict the coming season: oak before ash we' ll have a splash, ash before oak we' re in for a soak.

事实上，光敏色素的双重作用的发现提供了长期用于预测即将到来的季节的著名韵律背后的科学：橡木前灰烬我们会溅起水花，灰烬前橡木我们浸泡。