Small-Molecule Fluorescent Probes for Plant Hormones and their Receptors

Plant hormones and their receptors play a crucial role in regulating plant growth and adapting to the stress environment. The exploration of interaction between plant hormones and their receptors is significant to comprehend the molecular mechanisms of plant growth and development, the response mechanisms of adaptation to environmental changes, and to optimize the traits and stress-resistance of crops. Since the biosynthesis, transport, and metabolism of hormones in plants are closely relevant to spatio-temporal changes, and their content and distribution are highly dynamic, there is an urgent need for a qualitative and quantitative tool to accurately, real-time, and in situ monitor the dynamic changes of hormones in plants without injury. Fluorescent probes have been widely used in the sensing and imaging of plant hormones and their receptors, due to their high spatio-temporal resolution, high selectivity, non-invasive, high sensitivity, and tailored molecular structures. Here, this paper provides a systematical overview of the research progress in the sensing and imaging of plant hormones and their receptors using fluorescent probes. In addition, the potential prospects and remaining challenges are also discussed to design fluorescent probes with better performance and promote the development of this field.