title: Synthetic molecules: helping to unravel plant signal transduction.
abstract: The application of small molecules has played a crucial role in identifying novel components involved in plant signalling. Compared to classic genetic approaches, small molecule screens offer notable advantages in dissecting plant biological processes, such as technical simplicity, low start-up costs, and most importantly, bypassing the problems of lethality and redundancy. To identify small molecules that target a biological process or protein of interest, robust and well-reasoned high-throughput screening approaches are essential. In this review, we present a series of principles and valuable approaches in small molecule screening in the plant model system Arabidopsis thaliana. We also provide an overview of small molecules that led to breakthroughs in uncovering phytohormone signalling pathways, endomembrane signalling cascades, novel growth regulators, and plant defence mechanisms. Meanwhile, the strategies to deciphering the mechanisms of these small molecules on Arabidopsis are highlighted. Moreover, the opportunities and challenges of small molecule applications in translational biology are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium ; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Genetics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xuan
authors.affiliation: Division of Plant and Crop Sciences, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, LE12 5RD UK.
authors.forename: Evan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium ; Department of Plant Biotechnology and Genetics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Beeckman
authors.affiliation: Compound Screening Facility, VIB, Technologiepark 927, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Audenaert
authors.affiliation: Division of Plant and Crop Sciences, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, LE12 5RD UK ; Centre for Plant Integrative Biology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, LE12 5RD UK.
authors.forename: Ive
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: De Smet
keywords: Chemical biology; Plant growth and development; Screening; Small molecules; Translational biology