Arabidopsis leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase NILR1 is required for induction of innate immunity to parasitic nematodes

Plant parasitic nematodes, including root-knot nematodes and cyst nematodes, cause extensive damage and loss to many crops. Nematodes elicit a pathogen-triggered immunity (PTI) defense response, but the molecular basis for this response has not been previously characterized. Mendy et al. identified a leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase NILR1 that recognizes an as yet unknown nematode protein to elicit a PTI response; loss-of-function nilr1 mutants are hypersusceptible to several types of nematodes. NILR1 is conserved in dicotyledonous plants and provides a new approach for crop protection against nematodes. PLOS Pathogen.  10.1371/journal.ppat.1006284