Chemical Screening for Strigolactone Receptor Antagonists Using Arabidopsis thaliana

Strigolactones are a class of terpenoid-based plant hormones that are best known for their role in the suppression of axillary branching. However, strigolactones also play a role as stimulants for the germination of parasitic plants of the genera Striga and Orobanche. This dual role for strigolactones as endogenous hormones and interspecies signaling molecules has led to significant research directed toward understanding mechanisms of strigolactone perception from both the perspective of host plants and of their parasites. Antagonists for strigolactone receptors serve as potentially important tools in both arenas. This document describes the procedures required to use phenotypic screening approaches to uncover likely strigolactone receptor antagonists.