TR-DB: An open-access database of compounds affecting the ethylene-induced triple response in Arabidopsis

• Published in: Plant physiology and biochemistry Vol. 75; pp. 128 - 137
• Main Authors: Hu, Yuming, Callebert, Pieter, Vandemoortel, Ilse, Nguyen, Long, Audenaert, Dominique, Verschraegen, Luc, Vandenbussche, Filip, Van Der Straeten, Dominique
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris Elsevier Masson SAS 01-02-2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC); Amino Acids, Cyclic - genetics; Amino Acids, Cyclic - metabolism; Arabidopsis; Arabidopsis - genetics; Arabidopsis - metabolism; Arabidopsis Proteins - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical genetics; Databases, Factual; Ethylene; Ethylenes - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; High throughput phenotypic screen; Hypocotyl - metabolism; Phenotype; Plant Growth Regulators - metabolism; Plant physiology and development; Plant Roots - metabolism; Seedlings - metabolism; Triple response; Triple response; High throughput phenotypic screen; Arabidopsis; 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC); Ethylene; Database; Chemical genetics; 1-Aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid; Arabidopsis thaliana; Response; Phenotype; Plant physiology; Carboxylic acid; Cruciferae; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Plant growth substance; Genetics; Spermatophyta; Experimental plant; Open access
• ISSN: 0981-9428; 1873-2690
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2013.12.008

Small molecules which act as hormone agonists or antagonists represent useful tools in fundamental research and are widely applied in agriculture to control hormone effects. High-throughput screening of large chemical compound libraries has yielded new findings in plant biology, with possible future applications in agriculture and horticulture. To further understand ethylene biosynthesis/signaling and its crosstalk with other hormones, we screened a 12,000 compound chemical library based on an ethylene-related bioassay of dark-grown Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. seedlings. From the initial screening, 1313 (∼11%) biologically active small molecules altering the phenotype triggered by the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), were identified. Selection and sorting in classes were based on the angle of curvature of the apical hook, the length and width of the hypocotyl and the root. A MySQL-database was constructed (https://chaos.ugent.be/WE15/) including basic chemical information on the compounds, images illustrating the phenotypes, phenotype descriptions and classification. The research perspectives for different classes of hit compounds will be evaluated, and some general screening tips for customized high-throughput screening and pitfalls will be discussed.
•A chemical compound library was screened for molecules affecting ethylene responses.•An open access database of the compounds in different phenotypic classes is provided.•General tips for customized high-throughput screening are provided.