Extracellular NAD(P) activates systemic acquired resistance through LecRK-VI.2-mediated phosphorylation of NPR1
Liu, C.; Liu, Q.; Chhajed, S.; Zhou, M.; Harris, F. E.; Zhang, X.; Chen, S.; Mou, Z.
Plant Signaling
Every tomato plant that survives a fungal attack without spreading the infection to its neighbors is running this exact immune relay — and understanding it is the first step toward breeding crops that need fewer fungicide sprays.
When a plant gets infected in one spot, it sends out chemical alarm signals that travel to healthy parts of the plant and put them on high alert. Scientists figured out the missing link in how that alarm gets received and turned into action: a protein on the cell surface grabs the signal and physically tags another protein, like flipping a switch, which then rallies the plant's defense genes. Plants unable to receive this tag can't mount a whole-plant immune response, while plants locked in the 'tagged' state stay protected.
Key Findings
LecRK-VI.2 directly phosphorylates NPR1 at two specific sites (T359 and likely S356) upon detection of extracellular NAD(P), providing the first direct molecular link between signal perception and immune activation.
Nonphosphorylatable NPR1 variants completely abolished both local and systemic acquired resistance, while phosphomimetic variants retained full immune function, confirming phosphorylation is essential.
Phosphorylation of NPR1 promotes its interaction with TGA transcription factors and the Mediator subunit MED15, assembling a transcriptional complex that drives defense gene expression.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists discovered exactly how plants send a long-distance alarm signal through their tissues after infection, connecting a cell-surface sensor to a master immune switch via a direct chemical handoff. This closes a key gap in understanding how plants mount body-wide defenses against pathogens.
Abstract Preview
Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is a long-lasting, broad-spectrum immune response induced in distal tissues by signals generated at primary infection sites. Although numerous mobile immune signa...
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Disease-resistance is the ability of plants to prevent or reduce disease presence through genetic or environmental factors. This is essential for plant science because it enables the development of crops that can thrive with fewer chemical interventions, increasing agricultural sustainability and
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