Plant immunology articles from across Nature Portfolio

Huang et al. show how plant Sw-5b NLR mimics the ABA receptor to activate ABA-dependent antiviral immunity via the PP2C-SnRK2 complex. They reveal that Sw-5b NLR induces ABA accumulation, upregulates ABA response genes, and triggers defense against viral infections by releasing SnRK2 from  PP2C inhibition.

Defining plant defense machinery against pathogens is significant in cell biology and crop yield. TGNap1, a TGN and microtubule-binding protein, is required for defense and efficient anti-microbial protein secretion, linking secretion and cytoskeleton.

Both plant and animals utilize resistant proteins to recognise pathogens. In this work the authors illustrate how bacterial perception by a tomato resistant protein is communicated in order to protect plants against pathogens.

We identified Tad1, a large family of phage-encoded proteins that inhibit Thoeris immunity, and define the chemical structure of a central immune signalling molecule, showing a new mode of action by which pathogens can suppress host immunity.

Plants tightly regulate DNA methylation to regulate gene expression. Here, the authors show that the tomato yellow leaf curl China virus βC1 protein interacts with plant DNA glycosylases to promote demethylation of viral DNA and promote virulence.

A study reveals that activation of Toll/interleukin-1 receptor signalling is an important mechanism for boosting plant defence during pattern-triggered immunity.

Plant root cells upregulate pattern recognition receptors for bacteria in response to damage to neighbouring cells.

An integrated DNA-binding domain in a plant immune receptor functions as a decoy to detect pathogen effectors that target host transcription factors.

A surface-localized lectin S-domain receptor kinase confers recognition of lipopolysaccharide in plants.

This study provides evidence that non-legumes can respond to rhizobial symbiotic signals.

Salicylic acid (SA) is widely recognized as a key player in plant immunity. While several proteins have been previously identified as the direct targets of SA, SA-mediated plant defense signaling mechanisms remain unclear. The Nature paper from Xinnian Dong's group demonstrates that the NPR1 paralogues NPR3 and NPR4 directly bind SA, and this binding modulates their interaction with NPR1 and thereby degradation of this key positive regulator of SA-mediated defense, shedding important new insight into the mechanism(s) of SA-mediated, NPR1-dependent plant defense signal transduction.