How do plant resistance proteins activate defence gene expression upon effector perception?
Lead Research Organisation:
University of East Anglia
Department Name: Sainsbury Laboratory
Abstract
Plant disease resistance (R) proteins enable plants to detect specific pathogen effector molecules, and then activate defence, yet mechanisms of defence activation upon R protein activation (Effector-Triggered Immunity, or ETI) are poorly understood. Arabidopsis RPS4 and RRS1 resistance genes act together to detect two different bacterial effector proteins, AvrRps4 from Pseudomonas sp., and PopP2, an acetyltransferase, from Ralstonia sp.. RPS4 is a typical TIR-NB-LRR R protein, but the RRS1 TIR-NB-LRR R protein also carries a WRKY DNA binding domain, that acts as a "bait" that detects the presence and/or activity of AvrRps4 and PopP2 (Williams et al 2014; 10.1126/science.1247357 Sarris et al 2015; 10.1016/j.cell.2015.04.024).
Activation of defence by RPS4/RRS1 results in rapid induction of ~40 ETI genes, including genes for salicylic acid biosynthesis, other defence enzymes and transcription regulators (Sohn et al, 2014 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004655).
The goal of the studentship is to understand how RPS4/RRS1 activates these ~40 coregulated ETI genes in Arabidopsis upon effector perception. The student will test if upon activation, RPS4/RRS1 associates with and changes the chromatin state of genes that are induced during ETI defence. The project will define changes in chromatin at ETI-induced genes upon activation, and analyse transcription factors that associate with defence gene promoters.
Activation of defence by RPS4/RRS1 results in rapid induction of ~40 ETI genes, including genes for salicylic acid biosynthesis, other defence enzymes and transcription regulators (Sohn et al, 2014 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004655).
The goal of the studentship is to understand how RPS4/RRS1 activates these ~40 coregulated ETI genes in Arabidopsis upon effector perception. The student will test if upon activation, RPS4/RRS1 associates with and changes the chromatin state of genes that are induced during ETI defence. The project will define changes in chromatin at ETI-induced genes upon activation, and analyse transcription factors that associate with defence gene promoters.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Jonathan Jones (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Pok Man Ngou (Student) |
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BB/M011216/1 | 01/10/2015 | 31/03/2024 | |||
| 1799891 | Studentship | BB/M011216/1 | 01/10/2016 | 30/11/2020 | Pok Man Ngou |
| Description | The plant immune system involves cell-surface receptors required for pathogen-associated molecular pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) and intracellular receptors that activate effector-triggered immunity (ETI) upon detection of pathogen-secreted effectors. Both immune systems have been extensively studied but their interactions with each other are poorly understood. My work has revealed mutual potentiation between PTI and ETI in arabidopsis plants exposed to Pseudomonas syringae bacteria. PTI activates multiple protein kinases and oxidases; ETI elevates abundance of these proteins. Reciprocally, the ETI-induced hypersensitive cell death response (HR) is strongly enhanced by PTI. Thus, the two immune systems function synergistically to activate strong defense that thwarts pathogens. Our work has proposed an updated model to demonstrate how PRR- and NLR-mediated immune systems work together to provide a more robust disease resistance than either alone. |
| Exploitation Route | The research has improved fundamental understanding of the plant immune system. In mammalian immunity, it has been shown that extracellular and intracellular receptors function synergistically. However, the detailed mechanism is unknown. Our work provides mechanistic insight on how extracellular and intracellular receptors function synergistically, which is a biological phenomenon of broad interest. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| Description | JSPS Pre/Postdoctoral Fellowship for Foreign Researchers (Short-Term Award) |
| Amount | ￥800,000 (JPY) |
| Funding ID | PE18729 |
| Organisation | RIKEN |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Japan |
| Start | 11/2018 |
| End | 01/2019 |
| Description | Convening a workshop in the JIC Undergraduate summer school |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of the basics of plant pathology. Practical preparation of agro infiltration, Pseudomonas infitration and dab/trypan blue staining. Assisting student with practical, answering question and suggestions about future career. Socializing with undergrad student. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://www.jic.ac.uk/training-careers/summer-schools/international-undergraduate/ |
| Description | Convening a workshop in the TSL summer school |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of the basics of plant pathology. Practical preparation: Pseudomonas infitration and dab/trypan blue staining. Assisting student with practical, answering question and going through the logic behind the protocol. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://www.tsl.ac.uk/news/summer-school-plant-microbe-interactions/ |
| Description | Keynote speaker at ISMPMI meeting Glasgow 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I was plenary speaker at ISMPMI meeting Glasgow 2019 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |