Mechanisms of NRC immune receptor network modulation by an atypical NLR protein
Final Report Abstract
Intracellular nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat immune receptors (NLRs) are important components of the plant immune system to confer disease resistance against pathogens. NLRs can function in pairs or networks of pathogen effector detecting sensor NLRs and cell death inducing helper NLRs. Functionally connected NLR are often genetically linked and can show patterns of co-expression. However, the transcriptional landscape of NLR immune receptors across different plant organs is poorly understood. In this project, I investigated a large cluster of tomato NLR genes, which encodes the root-knot nematode disease resistance protein Hero as well as the helper NLR NRC6. This cluster of NLRs exhibits nearly exclusive expression in the roots. Using phylogenomics, I further showed that this rootspecific gene cluster emerged 21 million years ago through gene duplication from the ancient NLR required for cell death (NRC) network of asterid plants in Solanum species. All sensor NLRs of this gene cluster exclusively signal through NRC6 helpers for the induction of a hypersensitive cell death immune response. My findings indicate that this NLR gene cluster likely has sub-functionalized from the larger NRC network over evolutionary time to specialize for resistance against root pathogens, including root-knot nematodes. In my work, I propose that NLR gene clusters and networks have evolved organ-specific gene expression as an adaptation to parasites and to reduce the risk of autoimmunity. This work contributed to the understanding of transcriptional NLR gene regulation on tissue-level and provides useful insights for plant breeding strategies for pathogen resistance.
Publications
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NLR we there yet? Nucleocytoplasmic coordination of NLR‐mediated immunity. New Phytologist, 236(1), 24-42.
Lüdke, Daniel; Yan, Qiqi; Rohmann, Philipp F. W. & Wiermer, Marcel
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The helper NLR immune protein NRC3 mediates the hypersensitive cell death caused by the cell-surface receptor Cf-4. PLOS Genetics, 18(9), e1010414.
Kourelis, Jiorgos; Contreras, Mauricio P.; Harant, Adeline; Pai, Hsuan; Lüdke, Daniel; Adachi, Hiroaki; Derevnina, Lida; Wu, Chih-Hang & Kamoun, Sophien
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A root-specific NLR network confers resistance to plant parasitic nematodes. openRxiv.
Lüdke, Daniel; Sakai, Toshiyuki; Kourelis, Jiorgos; Toghani, AmirAli; Adachi, Hiroaki; Posbeyikian, Andrés; Frijters, Raoul; Pai, Hsuan; Harant, Adeline; Ernst, Karin; Ganal, Martin; Verhage, Adriaan; Wu, Chih-Hang & Kamoun, Sophien
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Disentangling the complex gene interaction networks between rice and the blast fungus identifies a new pathogen effector. PLOS Biology, 21(1), e3001945.
Sugihara, Yu; Abe, Yoshiko; Takagi, Hiroki; Abe, Akira; Shimizu, Motoki; Ito, Kazue; Kanzaki, Eiko; Oikawa, Kaori; Kourelis, Jiorgos; Langner, Thorsten; Win, Joe; Białas, Aleksandra; Lüdke, Daniel; Contreras, Mauricio P.; Chuma, Izumi; Saitoh, Hiromasa; Kobayashi, Michie; Zheng, Shuan; Tosa, Yukio ... & Fujisaki, Koki
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NLR receptors in plant immunity: making sense of the alphabet soup. EMBO reports, 24(10).
Contreras, Mauricio P.; Lüdke, Daniel; Pai, Hsuan; Toghani, AmirAli & Kamoun, Sophien
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Speedy benthi: Elongated photoperiods reduce generation times of the model plant species Nicotiana benthamiana. openRxiv.
Castle, Matthew & Lüdke, Daniel
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The NRC0 gene cluster of sensor and helper NLR immune receptors is functionally conserved across asterid plants. The Plant Cell, 36(9), 3344-3361.
Sakai, Toshiyuki; Contreras, Mauricio P.; Martinez-Anaya, Claudia; Lüdke, Daniel; Kamoun, Sophien; Wu, Chih-Hang & Adachi, Hiroaki
