The N-terminus of an Ustilaginoidea virens Ser-Thr-rich glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein elicits plant immunity as a MAMP

Tianqiao Song,Mingli Yong,Danyu Shen,Wende Liu,Zhengguang Zhang,Qi Zhang,Yuanchao Wang,Xiong Zhou ,Mina Yu,Zhenchuan Ma,You Zhang,Daolong Dou,Wenxian Sun,Youzhou Liu,Yan Du,Junjie Yu,Huijuan Cao,Zhongqiang Qi,Rongsheng Zhang,Xiuli Yin ,Junqing Qiao,Pan X ,Yongfeng Liu

doi:10.1038/s41467-021-22660-9

Abstract

Many pathogens infect hosts through specific organs, such as Ustilaginoidea virens, which infects rice panicles. Here, we show that a microbe-associated molecular pattern (MAMP), Ser-Thr-rich Glycosyl-phosphatidyl-inositol-anchored protein (SGP1) from U. virens, induces immune responses in rice leaves but not panicles. SGP1 is widely distributed among fungi and acts as a proteinaceous, thermostable elicitor of BAK1-dependent defense responses in N. benthamiana. Plants specifically recognize a 22 amino acid peptide (SGP1 N terminus peptide 22, SNP22) in its N-terminus that induces cell death, oxidative burst, and defense-related gene expression. Exposure to SNP22 enhances rice immunity signaling and resistance to infection by multiple fungal and bacterial pathogens. Interestingly, while SGP1 can activate immune responses in leaves, SGP1 is required for U. virens infection of rice panicles in vivo, showing it contributes to the virulence of a panicle adapted pathogen.

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