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Inhibitors of Ethylene Biosynthesis and Signaling

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Ethylene Signaling

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1573))

Abstract

Ethylene is a gas biosynthesized by plants which has many physiological and developmental effects on their growth. Ethylene affects agriculturally and horticulturally important traits such as fruit ripening, post-harvest physiology, senescence, and abscission, and so ethylene action is often inhibited to improve the shelf life of fruits, vegetables, and cut flowers. Chemical inhibitors of ethylene action are also useful for research to characterize the mechanisms of ethylene biosynthesis and signal transduction, and the role that ethylene plays in various physiological processes. Here, we describe the use of three inhibitors commonly used for the study of ethylene action in plants: 2-aminoethoxyvinyl glycine (AVG), silver ions (Ag), and the gaseous compound 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). AVG is an inhibitor of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase, a key enzyme involved in ethylene biosynthesis. Silver and 1-MCP are both inhibitors of the ethylene receptors. Inhibitor use as well as off-target effects are described with a focus on ethylene responses in dark-grown Arabidopsis seedlings. Methods for the use of these inhibitors can be applied to other plant growth assays.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by NSF grants IOS-1456487 (to G.E.S.), IOS-1254423 (to B.M.B.), and MCB-1517032 (to G.E.S. and B.M.B.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Center, Dartmouth College, 78 College Street, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA

    G. Eric Schaller

  2. Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, M407 Walters Life Sciences, University of Tennessee, 1414 Cumberland Ave, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA

    Brad M. Binder

Authors
  1. G. Eric Schaller
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  2. Brad M. Binder
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to G. Eric Schaller or Brad M. Binder .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA

    Brad M. Binder

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA

    G. Eric Schaller

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Schaller, G.E., Binder, B.M. (2017). Inhibitors of Ethylene Biosynthesis and Signaling. In: Binder, B., Eric Schaller, G. (eds) Ethylene Signaling. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1573. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6854-1_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6854-1_15

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-6852-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-6854-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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