Chemical genetics as a tool to study ethylene biology in plants

Ethylene is a gaseous plant hormone affecting multiple aspects of plant development. Besides playing a primary role in ripening, abscission, and senescence, it controls many aspects of vegetative growth and plays a crucial role in plant stress responses. Small molecules which act as ethylene agonists or antagonists have been used both in fundamental ethylene research and in agricultural applications to control ethylene effects. Many ethylene antagonists interfere with the metal–ethylene binding of the copper-containing ethylene receptors, while others block ethylene biosynthetic enzyme action. Automated screening of chemical compound libraries based on an ethylene-related bioassay has yielded new findings in ethylene biology. Here we give an overview of established and novel molecules related to ethylene biosynthesis and signaling, and highlight the current issues and future perspectives of a chemical genetics approach to elucidate ethylene biology and its crosstalk with other plant hormones