Isolation of Components Involved in Ethylene Signaling

Ethylene is unique among all plant hormones in that it is an odorless and colorless gas, and yet like other hormones it has profound effect on many aspects of plant growth and development as well as the interaction of plants with their environment. The perception and signaling of ethylene in plants has intrigued many biologists since its discovery. The gaseous ethylene was established as a growth hormone in the early twentieth century, its biosynthesis pathway was revealed in the 1970s, the core ethylene signaling components were isolated in the 1990s, and the signaling mechanisms are further revealed in the last decade. Ethylene research has been at the very front of modern plant biology and has made a great impact on our understanding of plant biology at the molecular and genetic levels. This chapter describes how the signaling molecules were isolated and identified largely according to historical order (Fig. 2.1). Ethylene biosynthesis and biochemical characterization of signaling molecules are covered in other chapters in the book.