Significance
The plant hormone auxin (indole-3-acetic acid [IAA]) plays a central role in regulating plant growth and development, but the regulation of IAA biosynthesis is poorly understood. Here, we identified a key push and pull feedback mechanism, which governs auxin biosynthesis through the tryptophan aminotransferase TAA1. We demonstrate that novel inhibitors of TAA1 function in both monocots and eudicots and present a catalytic mechanism that explains both its substrate specificity and its inhibition.