Pathogen- or microbe-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs/MAMPs) are detected as nonself by host pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and activate pattern-triggered immunity (PTI). Microbial ...invasions often trigger the production of host-derived endogenous signals referred to as danger- or damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which are also perceived by PRRs to modulate PTI responses. Collectively, PTI contributes to host defense against infections by a broad range of pathogens. Remarkable progress has been made toward demonstrating the cellular and physiological responses upon pattern recognition, elucidating the molecular, biochemical, and genetic mechanisms of PRR activation, and dissecting the complex signaling networks that orchestrate PTI responses. In this review, we present an update on the current understanding of how plants recognize and respond to nonself patterns, a process from which the seemingly chaotic responses form into a harmonic defense.
Sessile plants employ a diverse array of plasma membrane-bound receptors to perceive endogenous and exogenous signals for regulation of plant growth, development and immunity. These cell surface ...receptors include receptor-like kinases (RLKs) and receptor-like proteins (RLPs) that harbor different extracellular domains for perception of distinct ligands. Several RLK and RLP signaling pathways converge at the somatic embryogenesis receptor kinases (SERKs), which function as shared co-receptors. A repertoire of receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs) associate with the receptor complexes to relay intracellular signaling. Downstream of the receptor complexes, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are among the key signaling modules at which the signals converge, and these cascades regulate diverse cellular and physiological responses through phosphorylation of different downstream substrates. In this Review, we summarize the emerging common theme that underlies cell surface receptor-mediated signaling pathways in
: the dynamic association of RLKs and RLPs with specific co-receptors and RLCKs for signal transduction. We further discuss how signaling specificities are maintained through modules at which signals converge, with a focus on SERK-mediated receptor signaling.
Perception of microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) by cell-surface-resident pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) induces rapid, robust, and selective transcriptional reprogramming, which is ...central for launching effective pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) in plants. Signal relay from PRR complexes to the nuclear transcriptional machinery via intracellular kinase cascades rapidly activates primary immune response genes. The coordinated action of gene-specific transcription factors and the general transcriptional machinery contribute to the selectivity of immune gene activation. In addition, PRR complexes and signaling components are often transcriptionally upregulated upon MAMP perception to ensure the robustness and sustainability of PTI outputs. In this review, we discuss recent advances in deciphering the signaling pathways and regulatory mechanisms that coordinately lead to timely and accurate MAMP-induced gene expression in plants.
Pathogen perception in plants leads to gene expression changes, which are critical for effective pattern-triggered immunity (PTI). Li et al. discuss recent advances in deciphering the signaling pathways and regulatory mechanisms that coordinately lead to rapid, robust, and selective transcriptional reprogramming during PTI.
The non-protein amino acid pipecolic acid (Pip) is a lysine catabolite involved in plant systemic acquired resistance (SAR). In this issue of Cell, Hartmann et al. (2018) demonstrate that a ...flavin-dependent monooxygenase converts Pip to N-hydroxypipecolic acid (NHP), which functions as a critical metabolic regulator of SAR in Arabidopsis.
The non-protein amino acid pipecolic acid (Pip) is a lysine catabolite involved in plant systemic acquired resistance (SAR). In this issue of Cell, Hartmann et al. (2018) demonstrate that a flavin-dependent monooxygenase converts Pip to N-hydroxypipecolic acid (NHP), which functions as a critical metabolic regulator of SAR in Arabidopsis.
Abstract
Sessile plants encode a large number of small peptides and cell surface-resident receptor kinases, most of which have unknown functions. Here, we report that the
Arabidopsis
receptor kinase ...MALE DISCOVERER 1-INTERACTING RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE 2 (MIK2) recognizes the conserved signature motif of SERINE-RICH ENDOGENOUS PEPTIDEs (SCOOPs) from
Brassicaceae
plants as well as proteins present in fungal
Fusarium
spp. and bacterial
Comamonadaceae
, and elicits various immune responses. SCOOP signature peptides trigger immune responses and altered root development in a MIK2-dependent manner with a sub-nanomolar sensitivity. SCOOP12 directly binds to the extracellular leucine-rich repeat domain of MIK2 in vivo and in vitro, indicating that MIK2 is the receptor of SCOOP peptides. Perception of SCOOP peptides induces the association of MIK2 and the coreceptors SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR KINASE 3 (SERK3) and SERK4 and relays the signaling through the cytosolic receptor-like kinases
BOTRYTIS
-INDUCED KINASE 1 (BIK1) and AVRPPHB SUSCEPTIBLE1 (PBS1)-LIKE 1 (PBL1). Our study identifies a plant receptor that bears a dual role in sensing the conserved peptide motif from phytocytokines and microbial proteins via a convergent signaling relay to ensure a robust immune response.
Plants and animals rely on innate immunity to prevent infections by detection of microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) through pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs). The plant PRR FLS2, a ...leucine-rich repeat-receptor kinase, recognizes bacterial flagellin and initiates immune signaling by association with another leucine-rich repeat-receptor-like kinase, BAK1. It remains unknown how the FLS2/BAK1 receptor complex activates intracellular signaling cascades. Here we identified the receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase BIK1 that is rapidly phosphorylated upon flagellin perception, depending on both FLS2 and BAK1. BIK1 associates with FLS2 and BAK1 in vivo and in vitro. BIK1 is phosphorylated by BAK1, and BIK1 also directly phosphorylates BAK1 and FLS2 in vitro. The flagellin phosphorylation site Thr²³⁷ of BIK1 is required for its phosphorylation on BAK1 and FLS2, suggesting that BIK1 is likely first phosphorylated upon flagellin perception and subsequently transphosphorylates FLS2/BAK1 to propagate flagellin signaling. Importantly, bik1 mutants are compromised in diverse flagellin-mediated responses and immunity to the nonpathogenic bacterial infection. Thus, BIK1 is an essential component in MAMP signal transduction, which links the MAMP receptor complex to downstream intracellular signaling.
Embedded in the plasma membrane of plant cells, receptor kinases (RKs) and receptor proteins (RPs) act as key sentinels, responsible for detecting potential pathogenic invaders. These proteins were ...originally characterized more than three decades ago as disease resistance (R) proteins, a concept that was formulated based on Harold Flor's gene-for-gene theory. This theory implies genetic interaction between specific plant R proteins and corresponding pathogenic effectors, eliciting effector-triggered immunity (ETI). Over the years, extensive research has unraveled their intricate roles in pathogen sensing and immune response modulation. RKs and RPs recognize molecular patterns from microbes as well as dangers from plant cells in initiating pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) and danger-triggered immunity (DTI), which have intricate connections with ETI. Moreover, these proteins are involved in maintaining immune homeostasis and preventing autoimmunity. This review showcases seminal studies in discovering RKs and RPs as R proteins and discusses the recent advances in understanding their functions in sensing pathogen signals and the plant cell integrity and in preventing autoimmunity, ultimately contributing to a robust and balanced plant defense response. Formula: see text The author(s) have dedicated the work to the public domain under the Creative Commons CC0 "No Rights Reserved" license by waiving all of his or her rights to the work worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law, 2024.
Plants have evolved a large number of receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs) that often functionally and physically associate with receptor-like kinases (RLKs) to modulate plant growth, ...development and immune responses. Without any apparent extracellular domain, RLCKs relay intracellular signaling often via RLK complex-mediated transphosphorylation events. Recent advances have suggested essential roles of diverse RLCKs in concert with RLKs in regulating various cellular and physiological responses. We summarize here the complex roles of RLCKs in mediating plant immune responses and growth regulation, and discuss specific and overlapping functions of RLCKs in transducing diverse signaling pathways.
Carotenoids play important roles in many biological processes, such as light harvesting, photoprotection and visual attraction in plants. However, the regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis is still ...not fully understood.
Here, we demonstrate that SlBBX20, a B-box (BBX) zinc-finger transcription factor, is a positive regulator of carotenoid accumulation in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Overexpression of SlBBX20 leads to dark green fruits and leaves and higher levels of carotenoids relative to the wild-type. Interactions between SlBBX20 and DE-ETIOLATED 1 (Sl DET1) lead to the ubiquitination and 26S proteasome-mediated degradation of SlBBX20. Moreover, deficiencies in the components of the CUL4-DDB1-DET1 complex enhanced the stability of the SlBBX20 protein. Thus, we conclude that SlBBX20 is a substrate of the CUL4-DDB1-DET1 E3 ligase.
SlBBX20 can activate the expression of PHYTOENE SYNTHASE 1, encoding a key enzyme in carotenoid biosynthesis, by directly binding to a G-box motif in its promoter, which results in the elevated levels of carotenoids in SlBBX20 overexpression lines.
We identified a key regulator of carotenoid biosynthesis and demonstrated that the stability of SlBBX20 is regulated by ubiquitination. These findings provide us a new target for the genetic improvement of the nutritional quality of tomato fruit.
Innate immunity represents the first line of inducible defense against microbial infection in plants and animals
1
–
3
. In both kingdoms, recognition of pathogen- or microbe-associated molecular ...patterns (PAMPs or MAMPs), such as flagellin, initiates convergent signalling pathways involving MAP kinase (MAPK) cascades and global transcriptional changes to boost immunity
1
–
4
. Although Ca
2+
has long been recognized as an essential and conserved primary mediator in plant defense responses, how Ca
2+
signals are sensed and relayed into early MAMP signalling is unknown
5
,
6
. Here, we use a functional genomic screen and genome-wide gene expression profiling to show that four calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) are Ca
2+
sensor PKs critical to transcriptional reprogramming in plant innate immune signalling. Unexpectedly, CDPKs and MAPK cascades act differentially in four MAMP-mediated regulatory programs to control early genes involved in synthesis of defense peptides and metabolites, cell wall modifications and redox signalling. Transcriptome profile comparison suggests that CDPKs are the convergence point of signalling triggered by most MAMPs. Double, triple and quadruple
cpk
mutant plants display progressively diminished oxidative burst and gene activation induced by flg22, as well as compromised pathogen defense. In contrast to negative roles of calmodulin (CAM) and a CAM-activated transcription factor in plant defense
7
,
8
, the present study reveals Ca
2+
signalling complexity and demonstrates key positive roles of specific CDPKs in initial MAMP signalling.