Historically, this substance has been best known for its involvement in plant-pathogen recognition, especially its role as a signal attracting and transforming unique, oncogenic bacteria in genus
Agrobacterium. The
virA gene on the
Ti plasmid of
Agrobacterium tumefaciens and the Ri plasmid of
Agrobacterium rhizogenes is used by these soil bacteria to infect plants, via its encoding for a receptor for acetosyringone and other phenolic phytochemicals exuded by plant wounds. This compound also allows higher transformation efficiency in plants, as shown in
A. tumefaciens-mediated transformation procedures, and so is of importance in plant biotechnology. Acetosyringone can also be found in
Posidonia oceanica and a wide variety of other plants. It is secreted at wounded sites of
dicotyledons. This compound enhances the
Agrobacterium-mediated gene transformation in dicots.
Monocotyledons lack this wound response, which is considered the limiting factor in
Agrobacterium-mediated gene transformation in monocots. The compound is also produced by the male leaffooted bug (
Leptoglossus phyllopus) and used in its communication system. In vitro studies show that acetosyringone increases
mycorrhizae formation in the fungus
Glomus intraradices. A
total synthesis of this simple natural product was performed by Crawford et al. in 1956, but is of limited contemporary synthetic interest. A variety of acetosyringone analogues are available, including some which are covalent inactivators of cellular processes that involve acetosyringone. == Chemical characteristics ==