Abstract
Receptor-like proteins (RLPs) are a gene family of cell surface receptors that are involved in plant growth, development, and disease resistance. In a recent study, 438 pepper RLP genes were identified in the Capsicum annuum genome (CaRLPs) and determined to be present in response to multiple biotic stresses. To further understand the role of CaRLPs in plant growth and development, we analyzed expression patterns of all CaRLPs from various pepper tissues and developmental stages using RNA-seq. Ten CaRLP genes were selected for further analysis according to transcript levels with hierarchical clustering. The selected CaRLP genes displayed similarity of motifs within the same groups and structures typical of RLPs. To examine RLP function in growth and development, we performed loss-of-function analysis using a virus-induced gene silencing system. Three of the ten tested CaRLPs (CaRLP238, 253, and 360) in silenced plants exhibited phenotypic alteration with growth retardation compared to controls. All three gene-silenced peppers showed significant differences in root dry weight. Only CaRLP238 had significant differences in both root and shoot dry weight. Our results suggest that CaRLPs may play important roles in regulation of plant growth and development as well as function in defense responses to biotic stresses in the RLP gene family.
Highlights
Published: 13 May 2021Plants have cell surface-localized receptors to perceive extracellular signals and communicate with the outside environment
There are two major classes of extracellular receptors distinguished by their cytoplasmic domains, namely, receptor-like kinases (RLKs) and receptor-like proteins (RLPs)
The expression values of 76 CaRLPs were visualized with Z-score and log2 RPKM on a heat map (Figure 1)
Summary
Plants have cell surface-localized receptors to perceive extracellular signals and communicate with the outside environment. Many plant cell surface receptors have been reported to play key roles in very various processes of plant growth and development [1,2]. There are two major classes of extracellular receptors distinguished by their cytoplasmic domains, namely, receptor-like kinases (RLKs) and receptor-like proteins (RLPs). The major function of an RLP is its well-known defense response against pathogens. The first RLP gene identified, Cf-9, was found in tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and mediates resistance to the fungal pathogen Cladosporium fulvum [4]. Several Cf genes in the RLP gene family have been identified from tomatoes [5,6,7,8]. Many RLPs have been identified, and functions implicating disease resistance in plants have been revealed.
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