High-Throughput Fluorescence Screening Enables Globally Consistent Identification of ABA Signaling Modulators

Area of Science:

• Plant Biology
• Biochemistry
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Environmental stresses significantly reduce crop yields, necessitating strategies for plant adaptation.
• Abscisic acid (ABA) signaling pathways, particularly ABA receptors, are critical for plant stress response.
• Efficiently identifying modulators of ABA signaling is a key challenge in plant science.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a global high-throughput fluorescence screening (GhitFluors) platform for identifying ABA signaling modulators.
• To validate the efficacy of the GhitFluors platform in identifying compounds with significant biological activity.

Main Methods:

• Development and implementation of the GhitFluors platform for large-scale screening.
• Assessment of binding affinity of identified compounds using classical methods.
• Evaluation of inhibitory activity against key ABA signaling components like HAB1.
• Testing the efficacy of identified compounds in mitigating drought stress in plants.

Main Results:

• The GhitFluors platform demonstrated reliable binding affinity comparable to classical methods.
• Diopyridin was identified as a potent ABA signaling modulator with strong binding to PYR1.
• Diopyridin exhibited over 80% inhibitory activity against HAB1, similar to ABA.
• Diopyridin effectively alleviated drought stress effects in plants.

Conclusions:

• The GhitFluors platform offers a highly efficient method for identifying ABA signaling modulators.
• Diopyridin represents a promising compound for enhancing plant stress tolerance.
• This work heralds a new era in the discovery of plant stress adaptation regulators.