Scientists are developing chemical tools called molecular glues and PROTACs that can selectively destroy specific proteins inside cells. This review explores how these human drug-discovery techniques could be adapted for plants, opening new ways to control plant biology and improve crops.
1
Molecular glues and PROTACs can eliminate proteins previously considered 'undruggable' — including ones with no obvious chemical handle, like transcription factors — by hijacking the cell's own waste-disposal machinery.
2
Several protein-degrader drug candidates have already reached human clinical trials, validating the approach, yet almost no equivalent tools have been developed for plants or agriculture.
3
Key design challenges for plant-specific degraders include identifying suitable plant E3 ligase enzymes to co-opt, choosing the right protein targets, and optimizing the chemical linker that connects the two ends of a PROTAC molecule.
mail
Weekly plant science — one email, Saturdays.
Check your inbox to confirm — link expires in 24 hours.
Something went wrong — please try again.
Too many signup attempts from your network. Try again in an hour, or email hello@plant.news.