Abstract
Plants are constantly exposed to potentially pathogenic microbes present in their surrounding environment. Due to the activation of the pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) response that largely relies on accurate detection of pathogen- or microbe-associated molecular patterns by pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs), plants are resistant to the majority of potential pathogens. However, adapted pathogens may avoid recognition or repress plant PTI and resulting diseases significantly affect crop yield worldwide. PTI provides protection against a wide range of pathogens. Reinforcement of PTI through genetic engineering may thus generate crops with broad-spectrum field resistance. In this review, new approaches based on fundamental discoveries in PTI to improve crop immunity are discussed. Notably, we highlight recent studies describing the interfamily transfer of PRRs or key regulators of PTI signaling.
Highlights
Monocultures of highly fertilized crops that are typical of intensive agriculture practices are very sensitive to disease by adapted pathogens (Bruce, 2012)
Plants are equipped with surveillance machineries such as plasma membrane surface-localized proteins called pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which detect foreign pathogen- or microbe-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs or MAMPs; Boller and Felix, 2009; Bohm et al, 2014; Zipfel, 2014), as well as self-derived damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs; Boller and Felix, 2009; Newman et al, 2013; Zipfel, 2014)
Fungal MAMPs/PRRs pairs are exemplified by chitin/CHITIN ELICITOR RECEPTOR KINASE1 (CERK1; Miya et al, 2007; Wan et al, 2008), xylanase/ETHYLENE INDUCING XYLANASE2 (Eix2; Ron and Avni, 2004), and avirulence gene Ave1/VERTICILIUM1 (Ve1; de Jonge et al, 2012)
Summary
Monocultures of highly fertilized crops that are typical of intensive agriculture practices are very sensitive to disease by adapted pathogens (Bruce, 2012). Increased cellular Ca2+ concentration, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and activation of mitogenactivated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are considered as early PTI responses, whereas callose deposition and marker gene up-regulation are observed later during PTI (Boller and Felix, 2009; Zipfel and Robatzek, 2010; Tena et al, 2011). These first layers of defense are believed to be sufficient to prevent the invasion of a wide range of pathogens.
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