Phytochromes (also known as phys) were initially discovered in green plants in 1945. The photoreversible pigment was later found in fungi, mosses, and other algae groups due to the development of whole-genome sequencing, as explained in Peter H. Quails 2010 journal article Phytochromes.  As described in Hugo Scheers 1981 journal article Biliproteins, phytochromes function as a sensor of light intensity in ‘high-energy’ reactions, i.e. in higher plants (e.g. underground seedlings), during transformation of heterotrophic blanching growth to autotrophic photosynthetic growth. They carry out this function by monitoring the various parameters of light signals (such as presence/absence, colour, intensity and photoperiodicity). This information is then transduced via intracellular signaling pathways that trigger responses specific to the organism and its development state on both cellular and molecular levels, as explained by Quail. Phytochromes are also responsible for regulating many aspects of a plant's growth, development and reproduction throughout its lifecycle.