SPLINTER · Signaling of plant intracellular immune receptors

Signaling of plant intracellular immune receptors

Plant diseases are an economic, environmental and social threat affecting crop production worldwide. Deployment of resistance (R) genes in crops is currently the most effective strategy for genetic control of disease. However, genetic resistance mediated by R genes can be short-lived and is often affected by environmental stresses such as elevated temperature, which is highly concerning in the context of global climate change. The provision of durable and effective disease resistance is imperative for the protection of the environment and a global food security perspective. Thus, better understanding plant immunity is crucial to improve or develop novel disease resistance management plan adapted to predicted climate change. The plant immune system is based on a combination of cell surface and intracellular receptors that recognize various infection-associated molecules. Many disease resistance (R) genes encode intracellular receptors that specifically detect effectors delivered inside the host cell. Intracellular immune receptors belong to a large family of nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors (NLRs), which are related to some innate immune receptors in animals. The opportunity at the heart of this project arises from the finding that N-terminal domains of NLRs act as potent signaling domains that are self-sufficient to activate immune responses independently of pathogen recognition. I found that immune signalling induced by isolated N-terminal domains is not affected at elevated temperature, unlike full length NLRs, suggesting that manipulating signalling downstream of NLR activation may provide a source of resistance that is tolerant to temperature stress. Naturally occurring truncated NLRs lacking some of the canonical domains but containing the N-terminal signalling domains are promising candidates to investigate this hypothesis. The overall objective of SPLINTER is to decipher the signalling mechanisms of canonical and naturally occuring truncated NLRs under biotic and temperature stresses. This research focus on the functional analysis and natural variability of canonical and non-canonical immune receptors by using the the model plant Arabidopsis and the major vegetable crop tomato, mainly in response to the devastating phytopathogenic bacteria Ralstonia solanacearum. It has three specific aims to study the following questions: 1. What are the very first steps following canonical NLR signaling activation? (aim1) 2. What is the role of truncated NLRs in disease resistance? (aim2) 3. Can truncated NLRs or signaling partners confer disease resistance in the context of climate change in tomato? (aim3)

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз