Journal Article

Fungal Endopolygalacturonases Are Recognized as Microbe-Associated Molecular Patterns by the Arabidopsis Receptor-Like Protein RESPONSIVENESS TO BOTRYTIS POLYGALACTURONASES1

Zhang, Lisha, van den Ackerveken, Guido, Tagkalaki, Panagiota, Wagemakers, Lia, Liebrand, Thomas W. H., Essenstam, Bert, Kars, Ilona, Tjoitang, Devlin, van Kan, Jan A. L., Elberse, Joyce

2014

Overview

Plants perceive microbial invaders using pattern recognition receptors that recognize microbe-associated molecular patterns. In this study, we identified RESPONSIVENESS TO BOTRYTIS POLYGALACTURONASES1 (RBPG1), an Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) leucine-rich repeat receptor-like protein, AtRLP42, that recognizes fungal endopolygalacturonases (PGs) and acts as a novel microbe-associated molecular pattern receptor. RBPG1 recognizes several PGs from the plant pathogen Botrytis cinerea as well as one from the saprotroph Aspergillus niger. Infiltration of B. cinerea PGs into Arabidopsis accession Columbia induced a necrotic response, whereas accession Brno (Br-0) showed no symptoms. A map-based cloning strategy, combined with comparative and functional genomics, led to the identification of the Columbia RBPG1 gene and showed that this gene is essential for the responsiveness of Arabidopsis to the PGs. Transformation of RBPG1 into accession Br-0 resulted in a gain of PG responsiveness. Transgenic Br-0 plants expressing RBPG1 were equally susceptible as the recipient Br-0 to the necrotroph B. cinerea and to the biotroph Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis. Pretreating leaves of the transgenic plants with a PG resulted in increased resistance to H. arabidopsidis. Coimmunopredpitation experiments demonstrated that RBPG1 and PG form a complex in Nicotiana benthamiana, which also involves the Arabidopsis leucine-rich repeat receptor-like protein SOBIR1 (for SUPPRESSOR OF BIR1). sobirl mutant plants did not induce necrosis in response to PGs and were compromised in PG-induced resistance to H. arabidopsidis.

• Publisher: American Society of Plant Biologists
• Subject: Arabidopsis / Arabidopsis - genetics / Arabidopsis - metabolism / Arabidopsis - microbiology / Arabidopsis Proteins - genetics / Arabidopsis Proteins - metabolism / Aspergillus niger - pathogenicity / Botrytis / Botrytis - pathogenicity / fungi / Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Genetic loci / Genomes / Host-Pathogen Interactions / Leaves / Molecular Sequence Data / Mutation / Necrosis / Nicotiana - genetics / Oomycetes - pathogenicity / Plant cells / Plant Leaves - microbiology / Plants / Plants, Genetically Modified / polygalacturonase / Polygalacturonase - metabolism / Proteins / Quantitative Trait Loci / Receptors / SIGNALING AND RESPONSE / Transgenic plants