A rationally designed JAZ subtype-selective agonist of jasmonate perception (Nature Comms.)

Many plant hormones have pleiotropic effects, switching on and off multiple, seemingly unrelated processes. As an example, jasmonates both turn on herbivore defense responses and suppress growth. Takaoka et al. have elegantly separated these, by developing a jasmonate mimic that only activates defences. The interaction of this mimic causes the jasmonate co-receptor COI1 to interact only with a subset of JAZ transcriptional repressors. The identification of this selective agonist provides an opportunity to develop new methods for conferring plant protection against herbivores. (Summary by Mary Williams) Nature Comms 10.1038/s41467-018-06135-y