Into the Evening: Complex Interactions in the Arabidopsis Circadian Clock

In Arabidopsis thaliana an assembly of proteins named the evening complex (EC) has been established as an essential component of the circadian clock with conserved functions in regulating plant growth and development. Recent studies identifying EC-regulated genes and EC-interacting proteins have expanded our understanding of EC function. In this review we focus on new progress uncovering how the EC contributes to the circadian network through the integration of environmental inputs and the direct regulation of key clock genes. We also summarize new findings of how the EC directly regulates clock outputs, such as photoperiodic and thermoresponsive growth, and provide new perspectives on future experiments to address unsolved questions related to the EC.