Identification of novel inhibitors of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase by chemical screening in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Ethylene is a gaseous hormone important for adaptation and survival in plants. To further understand the signaling and regulatory network of ethylene, we used a phenotype-based screening strategy to identify chemical compounds interfering with the ethylene response in Arabidopsis thaliana. By screening a collection of 10,000 structurally diverse small molecules, we identified compounds suppressing the constitutive triple response phenotype in the ethylene overproducer mutant eto1-4. The compounds reduced the expression of a reporter gene responsive to ethylene and the otherwise elevated level of ethylene in eto1-4. Structure and function analysis revealed that the compounds contained a quinazolinone backbone. Further studies with genetic mutants and transgenic plants involved in the ethylene pathway showed that the compounds inhibited ethylene biosynthesis at the step of converting S-adenosylmethionine to 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) by ACC synthase. Biochemical studies with in vitro activity assay and enzyme kinetics analysis indicated that a representative compound was an uncompetitive inhibitor of ACC synthase. Finally, global gene expression profiling uncovered a significant number of genes that were co-regulated by the compounds and aminoethoxyvinylglycine, a potent inhibitor of ACC synthase. The use of chemical screening is feasible in identifying small molecules modulating the ethylene response in Arabidopsis seedlings. The discovery of such chemical compounds will be useful in ethylene research and can offer potentially useful agrochemicals for quality improvement in post-harvest agriculture.
Lin
Lee-Chung
LC
From the Graduate Institute of Life Science, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114; Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
Hsu
Jen-Hung
JH
Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
Wang
Long-Chi
LC
Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan. Electronic address: lwang@gate.sinica.edu.tw.
D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D005998:Glycine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008190:Lyases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D036226:Seedlings / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development
D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005030:Ethylenes; C036216:ethylene; D008190:Lyases; C021773:1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylate synthase; C088137:aminoethoxyvinylglycine; D005998:Glycine