The roles of photoreceptors and their associated signaling mechanisms have been extensively studied in plant photomorphogenesis with a major focus on the photoresponses of the shoot system. Accumulating evidence indicates that light also influences root growth and development through the light-induced release of signaling molecules that travel from the shoot to the root. We explored whether aboveground light directly influences the root system of Arabidopsis thaliana Light was efficiently conducted through the stems to the roots, where photoactivated phytochrome B (phyB) triggered expression of ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5) and accumulation of HY5 protein, a transcription factor that promotes root growth in response to light. Stimulation of HY5 in response to illumination of only the shoot was reduced when root tissues carried a loss-of-function mutation in PHYB, and HY5 mutant roots exhibited alterations in root growth and gravitropism in response to shoot illumination. These findings demonstrate that the underground roots directly sense stem-piped light to monitor the aboveground light environment during plant environmental adaptation.

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Oxide supports often play a critical role in metal-supported catalysts owing to their charge transfer phenomena that can alter catalytic performance. Herein, in place of conventional bulk oxide supports, monodisperse oxide nanoparticles (NPs) were exploited as supports for Pt catalysts. Depending on the type of oxide NP, Pt/oxide layered catalysts exhibited dramatic changes in the catalytic activity and selectivity for methanol oxidation. While Pt NPs deposited on MnO, Fe 3 O 4 , Co 3 O 4 , Cu 2 O, and ZnO NPs had comparable turnover frequencies to that of the pure Pt NP catalyst, Pt deposited TiO 2 NPs changed the reaction rate significantly, with preferential selectivity observed toward partial oxidation products. Facet-specific interactions between Pt and TiO 2 NPs were demonstrated by density functional theory calculations and catalytic reactions using shape-controlled TiO 2 NPs. When Pt NPs were attached to spherical and rhombic TiO 2 NPs with abundant (001) surfaces, methanol conversion was enhanced 10-fold owing to strong charge transfer from TiO 2 to Pt.

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