Plant hormones are key bioactive molecules that govern almost all physiological responses in plants, including growth, flowering, defense, and adaptation to environmental stresses. They elicit diverse responses through a single molecule by regulating the activity of numerous transcription factors (TFs) downstream of their signaling pathways. It has been suggested that these TFs function as coordinators, inducing only the appropriate responses at the appropriate time/spaces; however, the detailed mechanisms underlying this regulation remain largely unknown in many plant species. 

In our lab, we newly design and synthesize artificial molecules – based on three-dimensional structures of hormone-related TFs – that can selectively control their activity, with the aim of elucidating the regulatory mechanisms among TFs. Through development of such chemical biology tools, our future dream is to fully unlock the innate and hidden potentials of plants, contributing to food security and opening new possibilities for their use as resources.