Probing strigolactone perception mechanisms with rationally designed small-molecule agonists stimulating germination of root parasitic weeds.

ABSTRACT: The development of potent strigolactone (SL) agonists as suicidal germination inducers could be a useful strategy for controlling root parasitic weeds, but uncertainty about the SL perception mechanism impedes real progress. Here we describe small-molecule agonists that efficiently stimulate Phelipanchce aegyptiaca, and Striga hermonthica, germination in concentrations as low as 10^-8 to 10^-17 M. We show that full efficiency of synthetic SL agonists in triggering signaling through the Striga SL receptor, ShHTL7, depends on the receptor-catalyzed hydrolytic reaction of the agonists. Additionally, we reveal that the stereochemistry of synthetic SL analogs affects the hydrolytic ability of ShHTL7 by influencing the probability of the privileged conformations of ShHTL7. Im

SUBMITTER: Wang D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9271048 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature