Pattern recognition receptors in plants articles from across Nature Portfolio

Plant cell-surface receptors perceive both self- and nonself-molecules to regulate biological processes. Here the authors show that a subclass of phytohormone and immune receptors share a common origin, which have diverged to perceive distinct ligands and activate differential downstream responses.

The SCOOP signalling peptide family expands to 50 members, whose activities are strictly dependent upon the receptor kinase MIK2. Two subtilase classes process PROSCOOPs, generating bioactive SCOOP peptides. A subtilase mutant phenocopies the mik2 receptor mutant.

The cytoplasmic kinase BIK1 plays a central role in immune signaling and its protein homeostasis is maintained by the interplay of the ubiquitin ligases RGLG1/2 and PUB25 - RGLG1/2 suppress PUB25-mediated BIK1 protein degradation.

LRR-RLKs are also widespread in plants and oomycete pathogens. Here, the authors report that an LRR-RLK from Phytophthora sojae can activate pattern-triggered immunity in host soybean and nonhost tomato and Nicotiana benthamiana plants.

Plants have evolved pattern-recognition receptors to perceive pathogens. Here, the authors demonstrate that microbial small cysteine-rich proteins are eminent immune targets that led to convergent evolution of distinct immune receptors in plants.

Translation reprogramming in plants in response to innate-immunity induction relies on a novel cap-independent translation pathway.

Plants can experience a range of challenges, from osmotic stress to pathogen attack, requiring different types of responses. Despite this variety, two recent studies of plant transcriptomes reveal a surprising commonality in the genes induced by stress.