Surface immune signaling unlocks NLR activation through mRNA alternative splicing
Abstract
Plants activate pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI) to combat pathogens. However, how these systems coordinate immune activation while preventing autoimmunity remains poorly understood. In this study, we uncovered a regulatory mechanism in which surface immune signaling unlocks nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) immune receptor activation through mRNA splicing. We identified an N-terminal prodomain in the potato late blight resistance protein Rpi-vnt1.1 that inhibits resistosome formation, preventing potential autoactivation of this NLR. Upon pathogen perception, PTI signaling induced alternative splicing of Rpi-vnt1.1 mRNA, removing this inhibitory element. This primed Rpi-vnt1.1 for activation by the Phytophthora infestans effector AVRvnt1, enabling resistosome assembly and immune signaling. The widespread conservation of N-terminal extensions in coiled coil–type NLRs points to a common regulatory mechanism in preventing potential autoactivation while preserving pathogen sensitivity.
Article Details
Journal Info
Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Authors (15)
Chuyun Gao
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Forestry Biosecurity, Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, The Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
Xi Meng
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Forestry Biosecurity, Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, The Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
Xianchu Chen
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Forestry Biosecurity, Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, The Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
Leiyun Yang
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Forestry Biosecurity, Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, The Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
Tarhan Ibrahim
Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.
AmirAli Toghani
The Sainsbury Laboratory, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, UK.
Enoch Lok Him Yuen
Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Nick Eilmann
Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Freddie King
Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Kangping Li
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Forestry Biosecurity, Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, The Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
Luyao Wang
Biying Sun
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Forestry Biosecurity, Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, The Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
Yuanchao Wang
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Forestry Biosecurity, Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, The Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests (Ministry of Education), College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
Tolga Osman Bozkurt
Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Suomeng Dong