The ERECTA Receptor-Like Kinase Regulates Cell Wall-Mediated Resistance to Pathogens in Arabidopsis thaliana

Mol Plant Microbe Interact. 2009 Aug;22(8):953-63. doi: 10.1094/MPMI-22-8-0953.

Abstract

Some receptor-like kinases (RLK) control plant development while others regulate immunity. The Arabidopsis ERECTA (ER) RLK regulates both biological processes. To discover specific components of ER-mediated immunity, a genetic screen was conducted to identify suppressors of erecta (ser) susceptibility to Plectosphaerella cucumerina fungus. The ser1 and ser2 mutations restored disease resistance to this pathogen to wild-type levels in the er-1 background but failed to suppress er-associated developmental phenotypes. The deposition of callose upon P. cucumerina inoculation, which was impaired in the er-1 plants, was also restored to near wild-type levels in the ser er-1 mutants. Analyses of er cell walls revealed that total neutral sugars were reduced and uronic acids increased relative to those of wild-type walls. Interestingly, in the ser er-1 walls, neutral sugars were elevated and uronic acids were reduced relative to both er-1 and wild-type plants. The cell-wall changes found in er-1 and the ser er-1 mutants are unlikely to contribute to their developmental alterations. However, they may influence disease resistance, as a positive correlation was found between uronic acids content and resistance to P. cucumerina. We propose a specific function for ER in regulating cell wall-mediated disease resistance that is distinct from its role in development.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism
  • Arabidopsis / microbiology*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / physiology*
  • Cell Wall / metabolism
  • Cell Wall / physiology*
  • Glucans / metabolism
  • Immunity, Innate
  • Mutation
  • Phenotype
  • Phyllachorales / physiology*
  • Plant Leaves / genetics
  • Plant Leaves / metabolism
  • Plant Leaves / microbiology
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / physiology*
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / genetics
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / physiology*
  • Uronic Acids / metabolism

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Glucans
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • Uronic Acids
  • callose
  • ER protein, Arabidopsis
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases