Deubiquitinating enzymes AtUBP12 and AtUBP13 and their tobacco homologue NtUBP12 are negative regulators of plant immunity

Abstract

• Signalling by ubiquitination is implicated in diverse aspects of the plant lifecycle, and enzymes of ubiquitin metabolism are overrepresented in the Arabidopsis genome compared with other model eukaryotes. Despite the importance of ubiquitination in the regulation of signalling, little is known about deubiquitinating enzymes, which reverse the process of ubiquitination. • Transgenic RNA interference-based cosuppression and the isolation of Atubp12/13 double mutants collectively provides the first report that AtUBP12 and AtUBP13 are functionally redundant and are required for immunity against virulent Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato in Arabidopsis. The Solanaceous AtUBP12 orthologue NtUBP12 was identified. Viral-induced gene silencing and transient gain-of-function assays were employed to establish that the NtUBP12 protein functions as a negative regulator of the Cf-9-triggered hypersensitive response. • Here, we demonstrate that NtUBP12 and AtUBP12 are bona fide deubiquitinating enzymes capable of cleaving lysine-48-linked ubiquitin chains. AtUBP12 and NtUBP12 are functionally interchangeable and their deubiquitinating activity is required to suppress plant cell death. • Overall, our data implicate AtUBP12- and NtUBP12-dependent deubiquitination in the stabilization of common substrates across Solanaceae and Brassicaceae which regulate disease resistance.