METHODS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF INHIBITORS OF CYSTEINE SYHTHASE IN PLANTS

摘要

The present inventors have discovered that cysteine synthase is essential for plant growth. Specially, the inhibition of cysteine synthase gene expression in plant seedlings results in severe developmental abnormalities. Thus, cysteine synthase can be used as a target for the identification of herbicides. Accordingly, the present invention provides methods for the identification of compounds that inhibit cysteine synthase expression or activity, comprising: contacting a compound with a cysteine synthase and detecting the presence and/or absence of binding between said compound and said a cysteine synthase, or detecting a decrease in cysteine synthase expression or activity. The methods of the invention are useful for the identification of herbicides.