Self-isolation to the rescue – how plasmodesmata initiate signaling in response to chitin (PNAS)
Plant Science Research WeeklyPlant cells are known to initiate local and systemic signaling in response to certain stressful conditions to safeguard cells in the immediate vicinity as well as that are far from the site of stimuli. In this study, Cheval and co-workers have characterized a pathway in plant cells for sensing and responding…
A plant kinase exploited by a bacterial effector (bioRxiv)
Plant Science Research WeeklyPathogens have evolved a suite of effector proteins that are secreted into plants and aid successful colonization. AvrPtoB is a well-conserved effector of pathogenic Pseudomonas syringae strains that targets multiple plant defense-related proteins and is required for pathogen virulence and bacterial…
The pan-genome effector-triggered immunity landscape (Science)
Plant Science Research WeeklySuccessful plant pathogens produce a suite of small molecules called effectors that are injected into plant cells and perturb plant defense. As a counter defense, plants have evolved intracellular receptors (called NLRs; nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat) that detect specific effectors and…
R gene-miRNA-phasiRNA regulatory module (Nature Comms)
Plant Science Research WeeklyIn plants, like people, having an overactive immune response is just as bad as having an underactive one. R genes in plants are key immune components that need to be kept quiet until needed. Previous studies have shown that miRNAs are involved in suppressing R gene expression, in a process that is amplified…