Methods for the identification of inhibitors of serine acetyltransferase activity in plants

Kimberly H. Davis; Carol Marie Hamilton; JW Rice; L Guo; Kimberly H. Davis; A Zayed; R Ascenzi; JC Mitchell; DN Riggsbee; D Boyes; R Mulpuri; N Hoffman; S Kjemtrup; Carol Marie Hamilton; J Woessner; J Gorlach

Methods for the identification of inhibitors of serine acetyltransferase activity in plants

Rice, JW., Guo, L., Davis, K., Zayed, A., Ascenzi, R., Mitchell, JC., Riggsbee, DN., Boyes, D., Mulpuri, R., Hoffman, N., Kjemtrup, S., Hamilton, C., Woessner, J., & Gorlach, J. (2004). Methods for the identification of inhibitors of serine acetyltransferase activity in plants. (U.S. Patent No. 6770452). http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?patentnumber=6770452

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Abstract

The present inventors have discovered that serine acetyltransferase (SAT) is essential for plant growth. Specifically, the inhibition of SAT gene expression in plant seedlings results in reduced growth and altered pigmentation. Thus, SAT is useful as a target for the identification of herbicides. Accordingly, the present invention provides methods for the identification of herbicides by measuring the activity of an SAT in the presence and absence of a compound, wherein an alteration of SAT activity in the presence of the compound indicates the compound as a candidate for a herbicide.