New Series of Zaxinone Mimics (MiZax) for Fundamental and Applied Research

Muhammad Jamil; Pei-Yu Lin; Lamis Berqdar; Jian You Wang; Ikuo Takahashi; Tsuyoshi Ota; Noor Alhammad; Guan-Ting Erica Chen; Tadao Asami; Salim Al-Babili

doi:10.3390/biom13081206

New Series of Zaxinone Mimics (MiZax) for Fundamental and Applied Research

Biomolecules. 2023 Aug 1;13(8):1206. doi: 10.3390/biom13081206.

Authors

Muhammad Jamil¹, Pei-Yu Lin^{1

2}, Lamis Berqdar¹, Jian You Wang¹, Ikuo Takahashi³, Tsuyoshi Ota³, Noor Alhammad¹, Guan-Ting Erica Chen^{1

2}, Tadao Asami³, Salim Al-Babili^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ The BioActives Lab, Center for Desert Agriculture, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
² Plant Science Program, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
³ Applied Biological Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.

Abstract

The apocarotenoid zaxinone is a recently discovered regulatory metabolite required for proper rice growth and development. In addition, zaxinone and its two mimics (MiZax3 and MiZax5) were shown to have a remarkable growth-promoting activity on crops and a capability to reduce infestation by the root parasitic plant Striga through decreasing strigolactone (SL) production, suggesting their potential for application in agriculture and horticulture. In the present study, we developed a new series of MiZax via structural modification of the two potent zaxinone mimics (MiZax3 and MiZax5) and evaluated their effect on plant growth and Striga infestation. In general, the structural modifications to MiZax3 and MiZax5 did not additionally improve their overall performance but caused an increase in certain activities. In conclusion, MiZax5 and especially MiZax3 remain the likely most efficient zaxinone mimics for controlling Striga infestation.

Keywords: Striga hermonthica; mimics of zaxinone (MiZax); plant growth regulator; strigolactones; zaxinone.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Agriculture
Crops, Agricultural
Horticulture
Oryza*
Research*

Grants and funding

This research was funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, grant number (OPP1136424) and the APC was funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This work was also supported by baseline funding given to S.A.-B. from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).