The polymerase chain reaction was carried out with primers hybridizing to conserved regions of the phytochrome genes. With DNA from the moss Ceratodon purpureus 5 overlapping fragments were obtained resulting in a continuous nucleotide sequence of 1474 bp. The deduced amino acid sequence showed homology of around 60% with all known phytochrome sequences. The sequences contained a conserved chromophore attachment site. In light-grown Ceratodon protonemata the phytochrome mRNA with the size of about 4.5 kb was detected.
