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Fahrenhorst-Jones T, Lee S, Bollenbach-Wahl B, Bojack G, Braun R, Frackenpohl J, Heinemann I, Laber B, Lange G, Peters O, Reingruber AM, Schmutzler D, Barber DM. Scaffold hopping approaches for the exploration of herbicidally active compounds inhibiting Acyl-ACP Thioesterase. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024. [PMID: 39158367 DOI: 10.1002/ps.8370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The sustainable control of weed populations is a significant challenge facing farmers around the world. Although various methods for the control of weeds exist, the use of small molecule herbicides remains the most effective and versatile approach. Striving to find novel herbicides that combat resistant weeds via the targeting of plant specific modes of action (MoAs), we further investigated the bicyclic class of acyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) thioesterase (FAT) inhibitors in an effort to find safe and efficacious lead candidates. RESULTS Utilizing scaffold hopping and bioisosteric replacements strategies, we explored new bicyclic inhibitors of FAT. Amongst the investigated compounds we identified new structural motifs that showed promising target affinity coupled with good in vivo efficacy against commercially important weed species. We further studied the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of the novel dihydropyranopyridine structural class which showed promise as a new type of FAT inhibiting herbicides. CONCLUSION The current work presents how scaffold hopping approaches can be implemented to successfully find novel and efficacious herbicidal structures that can be further optimized for potential use in sustainable agricultural practices. The identified dihydropyranopyridine bicyclic class of herbicides were demonstrated to have in vitro inhibitory activity against the plant specific MoA FAT as well as showing promising control of a variety of weed species, particularly grass weeds in greenhouse trials on levels competitive with commercial standards. © 2024 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Fahrenhorst-Jones
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Stephanie Lee
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Birgit Bollenbach-Wahl
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Guido Bojack
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ralf Braun
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jens Frackenpohl
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ines Heinemann
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Bernd Laber
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Gudrun Lange
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Olaf Peters
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anna M Reingruber
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Dirk Schmutzler
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - David M Barber
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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2
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Zheng BF, Zuo Y, Yang WY, Liu H, Wu QY, Yang GF. Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Pyridazinone-Containing Derivatives As Novel Protoporphyrinogen IX Oxidase Inhibitor. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:10772-10780. [PMID: 38703122 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c09157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Protoporphyrinogen IX oxidase (PPO, E.C. 1.3.3.4) plays a pivotal role in chlorophyll biosynthesis in plants, making it a prime target for herbicide development. In this study, we conducted an investigation aimed at discovering PPO-inhibiting herbicides. Through this endeavor, we successfully identified a series of novel compounds based on the pyridazinone scaffold. Following structural optimization and biological assessment, compound 10ae, known as ethyl 3-((6-fluoro-5-(6-oxo-4-(trifluoromethyl)pyridazin-1(6H)-yl)benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)thio)propanoate, emerged as a standout performer. It exhibited robust activity against Nicotiana tabacum PPO (NtPPO) with an inhibition constant (Ki) value of 0.0338 μM. Concurrently, we employed molecular simulations to obtain further insight into the binding mechanism with NtPPO. Additionally, another compound, namely, ethyl 2-((6-fluoro-5-(5-methyl-6-oxo-4-(trifluoromethyl)pyridazin-1(6H)-yl)benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)thio)propanoate (10bh), demonstrated broad-spectrum and highly effective herbicidal properties against all six tested weeds (Leaf mustard, Chickweed, Chenopodium serotinum, Alopecurus aequalis, Poa annua, and Polypogon fugax) at the dosage of 150 g a.i./ha through postemergence application in a greenhouse. This work identified a novel lead compound (10bh) that showed good activity in vitro and excellent herbicidal activity in vivo and had promising prospects as a new PPO-inhibiting herbicide lead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bai-Feng Zheng
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Yang Zuo
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Wen-Yi Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Hui Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Qiong-You Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Guang-Fu Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
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3
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Hu S, Wang Y, Wang K, Yang D, Chen L, An Z, Huo J, Zhang J. Design, Synthesis, and Herbicidal Activity of Pyrazole Amide Derivatives as Potential Transketolase Inhibitors. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:3334-3341. [PMID: 38346337 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c06306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
The design and synthesis of new herbicidal active compounds based on a new target are of great significance for the development of new herbicides. Transketolase (TK) plays a key role in the Calvin cycle of plant photosynthesis and has been confirmed as a potential candidate target to develop and discover new herbicides. To obtain compounds with ultraefficient targeting of TK, a series of pyrazole amide derivatives were designed and synthesized through structural optimization for lead compound 4u based on TK as the new target. The bioassay results showed that compounds 6ba and 6bj displayed a highly inhibitory effect with the root inhibition of about 90% against Digitaria sanguinalis (DS) and 80% against Amaranthus retroflexus (AR) and Setaria viridis (SV) by the small cup method, which was better than the positive control mesotrione and nicosulfuron. Furthermore, compounds 6ba and 6bj exhibited an excellent inhibitory effect with the inhibition of about 80% (against DS) and over 80% (against SV) at the dosage of 150 g of active ingredient/ha by the foliar spray method. The TK enzyme activity inhibition test showed that the inhibition effect of target compounds against TK was consistent with the results of herbicidal activities. Also, molecular docking analysis showed that compounds 6ba and 6bj went deep into the active cavity of TK, bound to TK by a strong interaction, and might act on the enzyme TK. Above of all, compounds 6ba and 6bj are promising herbicide lead compounds targeting TK. Hence, they could be developed into more efficient herbicides by further structural optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiqi Hu
- College of Plant Protection, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei 071001, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanen Wang
- College of Science, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei 071001, People's Republic of China
| | - Kai Wang
- College of Plant Protection, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei 071001, People's Republic of China
| | - Dongchen Yang
- College of Plant Protection, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei 071001, People's Republic of China
| | - Lai Chen
- College of Plant Protection, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei 071001, People's Republic of China
| | - Zexiu An
- College of Plant Protection, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei 071001, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingqian Huo
- College of Plant Protection, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei 071001, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinlin Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei 071001, People's Republic of China
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4
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Abel SAG, Alnafta N, Asmus E, Bollenbach-Wahl B, Braun R, Dittgen J, Endler A, Frackenpohl J, Freigang J, Gatzweiler E, Heinemann I, Helmke H, Laber B, Lange G, Machettira A, McArthur G, Müller T, Odaybat M, Reingruber AM, Roth S, Rosinger CH, Schmutzler D, Schulte W, Stoppel R, Tiebes J, Volpin G, Barber DM. A Study in Scaffold Hopping: Discovery and Optimization of Thiazolopyridines as Potent Herbicides That Inhibit Acyl-ACP Thioesterase. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:18212-18226. [PMID: 37677080 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c02490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
In the search for new chemical entities that can control resistant weeds by addressing novel modes of action (MoAs), we were interested in further exploring a compound class that contained a 1,8-naphthyridine core. By leveraging scaffold hopping methodologies, we were able to discover the new thiazolopyridine compound class that act as potent herbicidal molecules. Further biochemical investigations allowed us to identify that the thiazolopyridines inhibit acyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) thioesterase (FAT), with this being further confirmed via an X-ray cocrystal structure. Greenhouse trials revealed that the thiazolopyridines display excellent control of grass weed species in pre-emergence application coupled with dose response windows that enable partial selectivity in certain crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven A G Abel
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Neanne Alnafta
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Asmus
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Birgit Bollenbach-Wahl
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ralf Braun
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jan Dittgen
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anne Endler
- Targenomix GmbH, Am Mühlenberg 11, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Jens Frackenpohl
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jörg Freigang
- Research and Development, Hit Discovery, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Alfred-Nobel-Straße 50, 40789, Monheim am Rhein, Germany
| | - Elmar Gatzweiler
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ines Heinemann
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Hendrik Helmke
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Bernd Laber
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Gudrun Lange
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anu Machettira
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Gillian McArthur
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Thomas Müller
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Magdalena Odaybat
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anna M Reingruber
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sina Roth
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Christopher H Rosinger
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Dirk Schmutzler
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Schulte
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Rhea Stoppel
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jörg Tiebes
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Giulio Volpin
- Research and Development, Small Molecules Technologies, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - David M Barber
- Research and Development, Weed Control Research, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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5
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Zheng BF, Zuo Y, Huang GY, Wang ZZ, Ma JY, Wu QY, Yang GF. Synthesis and Biological Activity Evaluation of Benzoxazinone-Pyrimidinedione Hybrids as Potent Protoporphyrinogen IX Oxidase Inhibitor. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:14221-14231. [PMID: 37729497 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c03593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Protoporphyrinogen IX oxidase (PPO/Protox, E.C. 1.3.3.4) is recognized as one of the most important targets for herbicide discovery. In this study, we report our ongoing research efforts toward the discovery of novel PPO inhibitors. Specifically, we identified a highly potent new compound series containing a pyrimidinedione moiety and bearing a versatile building block-benzoxazinone scaffold. Systematic bioassays resulted in the discovery of compound 7af, ethyl 4-(7-fluoro-6-(3-methyl-2,6-dioxo-4-(trifluoromethyl)-3,6-dihydropyrimidin-1(2H)-yl)-3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-4H-benzo[b][1,4]oxazin-4-yl)butanoate, which exhibited broad-spectrum and excellent herbicidal activity at the dosage of 37.5 g a.i./ha through postemergence application. The inhibition constant (Ki) value of 7af to Nicotiana tabacum PPO (NtPPO) was 14 nM, while to human PPO (hPPO), it was 44.8 μM, indicating a selective factor of 3200, making it the most selective PPO inhibitor to date. Moreover, molecular simulations further demonstrated the selectivity and the binding mechanism of 7af to NtPPO and hPPO. This study not only identifies a candidate that showed excellent in vivo bioactivity and high safety toward humans but also provides a paradigm for discovering PPO inhibitors with improved performance through molecular simulation and structure-guided optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bai-Feng Zheng
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P. R. China
| | - Yang Zuo
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P. R. China
| | - Guang-Yi Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P. R. China
| | - Zhi-Zheng Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P. R. China
| | - Jin-Yi Ma
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P. R. China
| | - Qiong-You Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P. R. China
| | - Guang-Fu Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P. R. China
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6
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Steinborn C, Tancredi A, Habiger C, Diederich C, Kramer J, Reingruber AM, Laber B, Freigang J, Lange G, Schmutzler D, Machettira A, Besong G, Magauer T, Barber DM. Investigations into Simplified Analogues of the Herbicidal Natural Product (+)-Cornexistin. Chemistry 2023; 29:e202300199. [PMID: 36807428 PMCID: PMC7614749 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202300199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
We report the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of simplified analogues of the herbicidal natural product (+)-cornexistin. Guided by an X-Ray co-crystal structure of cornexistin bound to transketolase from Zea mays, we attempted to identify the key interactions that are necessary for cornexistin to maintain its herbicidal profile. This resulted in the preparation of three novel analogues investigating the importance of substituents that are located on the nine-membered ring of cornexistin. One analogue maintained a good level of biological activity and could provide researchers insights in how to further optimize the structure of cornexistin for commercialization in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Steinborn
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Aldo Tancredi
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Christoph Habiger
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Christina Diederich
- Research & Development, Weed Control Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jan Kramer
- Research & Development, Weed Control Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anna M Reingruber
- Research & Development, Weed Control Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Bernd Laber
- Research & Development, Weed Control Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jörg Freigang
- Research & Development, Hit Discovery Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Alfred-Nobel-Straße 50, 40789, Monheim am Rhein, Germany
| | - Gudrun Lange
- Research & Development, Weed Control Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Dirk Schmutzler
- Research & Development, Weed Control Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anu Machettira
- Research & Development, Weed Control Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Gilbert Besong
- Research & Development, Weed Control Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Thomas Magauer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - David M Barber
- Research & Development, Weed Control Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Industriepark Höchst, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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7
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Nan JX, Dong J, Cao JQ, Huang GY, Shi XX, Wei XF, Chen Q, Lin HY, Yang GF. Structure-Based Design of 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate Dioxygenase Inhibitor as a Potential Herbicide for Cotton Fields. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:5783-5795. [PMID: 36977356 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c08448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD, EC 1.13.11.27) is one of the most promising herbicide targets for the development of agricultural chemicals owing to its unique mechanism of action in plants. We previously reported on the co-crystal structure of Arabidopsis thaliana (At) HPPD complexed with methylbenquitrione (MBQ), an inhibitor of HPPD that we previously discovered. Based on this crystal structure, and in an attempt to discover even more effective HPPD-inhibiting herbicides, we designed a family of triketone-quinazoline-2,4-dione derivatives featuring a phenylalkyl group through increasing the interaction between the substituent at the R1 position and the amino acid residues at the active site entrance of AtHPPD. Among the derivatives, 6-(2-hydroxy-6-oxocyclohex-1-ene-1-carbonyl)-1,5-dimethyl-3-(1-phenylethyl)quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-dione (23) was identified as a promising compound. The co-crystal structure of compound 23 with AtHPPD revealed that hydrophobic interactions with Phe392 and Met335, and effective blocking of the conformational deflection of Gln293, as compared with that of the lead compound MBQ, afforded a molecular basis for structural modification. 3-(1-(3-Fluorophenyl)ethyl)-6-(2-hydroxy-6-oxocyclohex-1-ene-1-carbonyl)-1,5-dimethylquinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-dione (31) was confirmed to be the best subnanomolar-range AtHPPD inhibitor (IC50 = 39 nM), making it approximately seven times more potent than MBQ. In addition, the greenhouse experiment showed favorable herbicidal potency for compound 23 with a broad spectrum and acceptable crop selectivity against cotton at the dosage of 30-120 g ai/ha. Thus, compound 23 possessed a promising prospect as a novel HPPD-inhibiting herbicide candidate for cotton fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Xu Nan
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P.R. China
| | - Jin Dong
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P.R. China
| | - Jun-Qiao Cao
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P.R. China
| | - Guang-Yi Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P.R. China
| | - Xing-Xing Shi
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P.R. China
| | - Xue-Fang Wei
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P.R. China
| | - Qiong Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P.R. China
| | - Hong-Yan Lin
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P.R. China
| | - Guang-Fu Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, P.R. China
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8
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Hickman DT, Comont D, Rasmussen A, Birkett MA. Novel and holistic approaches are required to realize allelopathic potential for weed management. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10018. [PMID: 37091561 PMCID: PMC10121234 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Allelopathy, that is, plant-plant inhibition via the release of secondary metabolites into the environment, has potential for the management of weeds by circumventing herbicide resistance. However, mechanisms underpinning allelopathy are notoriously difficult to elucidate, hindering real-world application either in the form of commercial bioherbicides or allelopathic crops. Such limited application is exemplified by evidence of limited knowledge of the potential benefits of allelopathy among end users. Here, we examine potential applications of this phenomenon, paying attention to novel approaches and influential factors requiring greater consideration, with the intention of improving the reputation and uptake of allelopathy. Avenues to facilitate more effective allelochemical discovery are also considered, with a view to stimulating the identification of new compounds and allelopathic species. Synthesis and Applications: We conclude that tackling increasing weed pressure on agricultural productivity would benefit from greater integration of the phenomenon of allelopathy, which in turn would be greatly served by a multi-disciplinary and exhaustive approach, not just through more effective isolation of the interactions involved, but also through greater consideration of factors which may influence them in the field, facilitating optimization of their benefits for weed management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darwin T. Hickman
- Protecting Crops and the EnvironmentRothamsted ResearchHarpendenUK
- School of BiosciencesUniversity of NottinghamSutton BoningtonUK
| | - David Comont
- Protecting Crops and the EnvironmentRothamsted ResearchHarpendenUK
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López-González D, Graña E, Teijeira M, Verdeguer M, Reigosa MJ, Sánchez-Moreiras AM, Araniti F. Similarities on the mode of action of the terpenoids citral and farnesene in Arabidopsis seedlings involve interactions with DNA binding proteins. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2023; 196:507-519. [PMID: 36764266 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The sesquiterpene farnesene and the monoterpene citral are phytotoxic natural compounds characterized by a high similarity in macroscopic effects, suggesting an equal or similar mechanism of action when assayed at IC50 concentration. In the present study, a short-time experiment (24 and 48 h) using an imaging spectrofluorometer allowed us to monitor the in-vivo effects of the two molecules, highlighting that both terpenoids were similarly affecting all PSII parameters, even when the effects of citral were quicker in appearing than those of farnesene. The multivariate, univariate, and pathway analyses, carried out on untargeted-metabolomic data, confirmed a clear separation of the plant metabolome in response to the two treatments, whereas similarity in the affected pathways was observed. The main metabolites affected were amino acids and polyamine, which significantly accumulated in response to both treatments. On the contrary, a reduction in sugar content (i.e. glucose and sucrose) was observed. Finally, the in-silico studies demonstrated a similar mechanism of action for both molecules by interacting with DNA binding proteins, although differences concerning the affinity with the proteins with which they could potentially interact were also highlighted. Despite the similarities in macroscopic effects of these two molecules, the metabolomic and in-silico data suggest that both terpenoids share a similar but not equal mechanism of action and that the similar effects observed on the photosynthetic machinery are more imputable to a side effect of molecules-induced oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- David López-González
- Universidade de Vigo. Departamento de Bioloxía Vexetal e Ciencia do Solo, Facultade de Bioloxía, Campus Lagoas-Marcosende s/n, 36310, Vigo, Spain
| | - Elisa Graña
- Universidade de Vigo. Departamento de Bioloxía Vexetal e Ciencia do Solo, Facultade de Bioloxía, Campus Lagoas-Marcosende s/n, 36310, Vigo, Spain
| | - Marta Teijeira
- Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultade de Química, 36310, Vigo, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Galicia Sur, Hospital Álvaro Cunqueiro, 36213, Vigo, Spain
| | - Mercedes Verdeguer
- Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo (IAM), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - Manuel J Reigosa
- Universidade de Vigo. Departamento de Bioloxía Vexetal e Ciencia do Solo, Facultade de Bioloxía, Campus Lagoas-Marcosende s/n, 36310, Vigo, Spain
| | - Adela M Sánchez-Moreiras
- Universidade de Vigo. Departamento de Bioloxía Vexetal e Ciencia do Solo, Facultade de Bioloxía, Campus Lagoas-Marcosende s/n, 36310, Vigo, Spain.
| | - Fabrizio Araniti
- Dipartamento di Science Agrarie e Ambientali - Produzione, Territorio, Agroenergia, Università Statale di Milano, Via Celoria n °2, 20133, Milano, Italy.
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Berestetskiy A. Modern Approaches for the Development of New Herbicides Based on Natural Compounds. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:234. [PMID: 36678947 PMCID: PMC9864389 DOI: 10.3390/plants12020234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Weeds are a permanent component of anthropogenic ecosystems. They require strict control to avoid the accumulation of their long-lasting seeds in the soil. With high crop infestation, many elements of crop production technologies (fertilization, productive varieties, growth stimulators, etc.) turn out to be practically meaningless due to high yield losses. Intensive use of chemical herbicides (CHs) has led to undesirable consequences: contamination of soil and wastewater, accumulation of their residues in the crop, and the emergence of CH-resistant populations of weeds. In this regard, the development of environmentally friendly CHs with new mechanisms of action is relevant. The natural phytotoxins of plant or microbial origin may be explored directly in herbicidal formulations (biorational CHs) or indirectly as scaffolds for nature-derived CHs. This review considers (1) the main current trends in the development of CHs that may be important for the enhancement of biorational herbicides; (2) the advances in the development and practical application of natural compounds for weed control; (3) the use of phytotoxins as prototypes of synthetic herbicides. Some modern approaches, such as computational methods of virtual screening and design of herbicidal molecules, development of modern formulations, and determination of molecular targets, are stressed as crucial to make the exploration of natural compounds more effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Berestetskiy
- Laboratory of Phytotoxicology and Biotechnology, All-Russian Institute of Plant Protection, Pushkin, 196608 Saint-Petersburg, Russia
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11
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Wang Y, Xiong Y, Garcia EAL, Wang Y, Butch CJ. Drug Chemical Space as a Guide for New Herbicide Development: A Cheminformatic Analysis. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2022; 70:9625-9636. [PMID: 35915870 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c01425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Herbicides are critical resources for meeting agricultural demand. While similar in structure and function to pharmaceuticals, the development of new herbicidal mechanisms of action and new scaffolds against known mechanisms of action has been much slower than in pharmaceutical sciences. We hypothesized that this may be due in part to a relative undersampling of possible herbicidal chemistries and set out to test whether this difference in sampling existed and whether increasing the diversity of possible herbicidal chemistries would be likely to result in more efficacious herbicides. To conduct this work, we first identified databases of commercially available herbicides and clinically approved pharmaceuticals. Using these databases, we created a two-dimensional embedding of the chemical, which provides a qualitative visualization of the degree to which each chemotype is distributed within the combined chemical space and shows a moderate degree of overlap between the two sets. Next, we trained several machine learning models to classify herbicides versus drugs based on physicochemical characteristics. The most accurate of these models has an accuracy of 93% with the key differentiating characteristics being the number of polar hydrogens, number of amide bonds, LogP, and polar surface area. We then used several types of scaffold decomposition to quantitatively evaluate the chemical diversity of each molecular family and showed herbicides to have considerably fewer unique structural fragments. Finally, we used molecular docking as an in silico evaluation of further structural diversification in herbicide development. To this end, we identified herbicides with well-characterized binding sites and modified those scaffolds based on similar structural subunits from the drug dataset not present in any commercial herbicide while using the machine-learned model to ensure that required herbicide properties were maintained. Redocking the original and modified scaffolds of several herbicides showed that even this simple design strategy is capable of yielding new molecules with higher predicted affinity for the target enzymes. Overall, we show that herbicides are distinct from drugs based on physicochemical properties but less diverse in their chemistry in a way not governed by these properties. We also demonstrate in silico that increasing the diversity of herbicide scaffolds has the potential to increase potency, potentially reducing the amount needed in agricultural practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yisheng Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Youjin Xiong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | | | - Yiqing Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Christopher J Butch
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Blue Marble Space Institute for Science, Seattle, Washington 98104, United States
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12
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Duke SO. The Society of Chemical Industry at 140 years and Pest Management Science. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:2105-2107. [PMID: 35584246 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
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13
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Duke SO, Dayan FE. The search for new herbicide mechanisms of action: Is there a 'holy grail'? PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:1303-1313. [PMID: 34796620 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
New herbicide modes of action (MOAs) are in great demand because of the burgeoning evolution of resistance of weeds to existing commercial herbicides. This need has been exacerbated by the almost complete lack of introduction of herbicides with new MOAs for almost 40 years. There are many highly phytotoxic compounds with MOAs not represented by commercial herbicides, but neither these compounds nor structural analogues have been developed as herbicides for a variety of reasons. Natural products provide knowledge of many MOAs that are not being utilized by commercial herbicides. Other means of identifying new herbicide targets are discussed, including pharmaceutical target sites and metabolomic and proteomic information, as well as the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to predict herbicidal compounds with new MOAs. Information about several newly discovered herbicidal compounds with new MOAs is summarized. The currently increased efforts of both established companies and start-up companies are likely to result in herbicides with new MOAs that can be used in herbicide resistance management within the next decade. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen O Duke
- National Center for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, Oxford, MS, USA
| | - Franck E Dayan
- Department of Agricultural Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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14
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Duke SO. Success, despite another plague year. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:7-11. [PMID: 34874600 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
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15
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Gaines TA, Busi R, Küpper A. Can new herbicide discovery allow weed management to outpace resistance evolution? PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2021; 77:3036-3041. [PMID: 33942963 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
While herbicides are the most effective and widely adopted weed management approach, the evolution of multiple herbicide resistance in damaging weed species threatens the yield and profitability of many crops. Weeds accumulate multiple resistance mechanisms through sequential selection and/or gene flow, with long-range and international transport of herbicide-resistant weeds proving to be a serious issue. Metabolic resistance mechanisms can confer resistance across multiple sites of action and even to herbicides not yet discovered. When a new site of action herbicide is introduced to control a key driver weed, it likely will be one of very few effective available herbicide options for that weed in a specific crop due to the continuous use of herbicides over the years and the resulting accumulation of resistance mechanisms, placing it at even higher risk to be rapidly lost to resistance due to the high selection pressure it will experience. The number of available, effective herbicides for certain driver weeds is decreasing over time because the rate of resistance evolution is faster than the rate of new herbicide discovery. Effective monitoring for species movement and diagnostics for resistance should be deployed to rapidly identify emerging resistance to any new site of action. While innovation in herbicide discovery is urgently needed to combat the pressing issue of resistance in weeds, the rate of selection for herbicide resistance in weeds must be slowed through changes in the patterns of how herbicides are used. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd A Gaines
- Department of Agricultural Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Roberto Busi
- Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative, School of Agriculture and Environment, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Anita Küpper
- Bayer AG, Industriepark Höchst, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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16
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In focus: herbicide mode of action and evolution of resistance. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2021; 77:3035. [PMID: 34110687 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
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