title: Plant Chemical Genetics: From Phenotype-Based Screens to Synthetic Biology.
abstract: The treatment of a biological system with small molecules to specifically perturb cellular functions is commonly referred to as chemical biology. Small molecules are used commercially as drugs, herbicides, and fungicides in different systems, but in recent years they are increasingly exploited as tools for basic research. For instance, chemical genetics involves the discovery of small-molecule effectors of various cellular functions through screens of compound libraries. Whereas the drug discovery field has largely been driven by target-based screening approaches followed by drug optimization, chemical genetics in plant systems tends to be fueled by more general phenotype-based screens, opening the possibility to identify a wide range of small molecules that are not necessarily directly linked to the process of interest. Here, we provide an overview of the current progress in chemical genetics in plants, with a focus on the discoveries regarding small molecules identified in screens designed with a basic biology perspective. We reflect on the possibilities that lie ahead and discuss some of the potential pitfalls that might be encountered upon adopting a given chemical genetics approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium (W.D., E.R); and.|Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium (W.D., E.R.).
authors.forename: Wim
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3869-2228
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dejonghe
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium (W.D., E.R); and eurus@psb.vib-ugent.be.|Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Ghent, Belgium (W.D., E.R.) eurus@psb.vib-ugent.be.
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0569-1977
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Russinova
mesh_terms: D002473:Cell Wall / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects; D010641:Phenotype; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000378:metabolism*; D010944:Plants / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D054852:Small Molecule Libraries / Q000494:pharmacology; D058615:Synthetic Biology / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends
chemical_list: D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D054852:Small Molecule Libraries