The study of pattern-triggered immunity in Arabidopsis

Abstract

The initial stage of plant defence against pathogen challenge is dependent on the perception of microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) by cognate pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), leading to a basal plant immune response referred to as pattern-triggered immunity (PTI). This early and broad-based defence is a very active area of research, in part because it represents an excellent route to improving crop performance. As more MAMPs and PRRs are identified, mainly in the model species Arabidopsis thaliana, there is a related increased interest in easier and faster assays to accurately measure subtle immune alterations. The development of novel assays, and improvements to established ones, has made high-throughput screening of plant immunity possible. The study of immune responses on various time-scales, and their reliance on various signalling cascades, has led to a more nuanced understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the many processes that collectively form the innate immune response. The increased understanding of these processes presents novel routes for crop improvement through modulation of plant immunity.