Glucosinolates (GSLs) are sulfur-containing defense metabolites produced in the Brassicales, including the model plant Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Previous work suggests that specific GSLs may function as signals to provide direct feedback regulation within the plant to calibrate defense and growth. These GSLs include allyl-GSL, a defense metabolite that is one of the most widespread GSLs in Brassicaceae and has also been associated with growth inhibition. Here we show that at least three separate potential catabolic products of allyl-GSL or closely related compounds affect growth and development by altering different mechanisms influencing plant development. Two of the catabolites, raphanusamic acid and 3-butenoic acid, differentially affect processes downstream of the auxin signaling cascade. Another catabolite, acrylic acid, affects meristem development by influencing the progression of the cell cycle. These independent signaling events propagated by the different catabolites enable the plant to execute a specific response that is optimal to any given environment.

芥子油苷 (GSL) 是芸苔目中产生的含硫防御代谢物，包括模式植物拟南芥 ( Arabidopsis thaliana )。先前的研究表明，特定的 GSL 可能作为信号在植物内提供直接反馈调节，以校准防御和生长。这些 GSL 包括烯丙基-GSL，这是一种防御代谢物，是十字花科中最广泛的 GSL 之一，也与生长抑制有关。在这里，我们表明烯丙基-GSL 或密切相关的化合物的至少三种独立的潜在分解代谢产物通过改变影响植物发育的不同机制来影响生长和发育。两种分解代谢物，萝卜酸和 3-丁烯酸，对生长素信号级联下游的过程有不同的影响。另一种分解代谢物丙烯酸通过影响细胞周期的进程来影响分生组织的发育。这些由不同分解代谢物传播的独立信号事件使植物能够执行针对任何给定环境的最佳特定响应。