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Updated: Feb 22, 2026

Author Spotlight: Soybean Hairy Root Transformation for the Analysis of Gene Function
Published on: May 5, 2023
Arabinosylation Modulates the Growth-Regulating Activity of the Peptide Hormone CLE40a from Soybean
Leo Corcilius1, April H Hastwell2, Mengbai Zhang2
1School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
Abstract:
Small post-translationally modified peptide hormones mediate crucial developmental and regulatory processes in plants. CLAVATA/ENDOSPERM-SURROUNDING REGION (CLE) genes are found throughout the plant kingdom and encode for 12-13 amino acid peptides that must often undergo post-translational proline hydroxylation and glycosylation with O-β1,2-triarabinose moieties before they become functional. Apart from a few recent examples, a detailed understanding of the structure and function of most CLE hormones is yet to be uncovered. This is mainly owing to difficulties in isolating mature homogeneously modified CLE peptides from natural plant sources. In this study, we describe the efficient synthesis of a synthetic Araf3Hyp glycosylamino acid building block that was used to access a hitherto uninvestigated CLE hormone from soybean called GmCLE40a. Through the development and implementation of a novel in vivo root growth assay, we show that the synthetic triarabinosylated glycopeptide suppresses primary root growth in this important crop species.
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