Transcriptional, Posttranscriptional and Posttranslational Regulation of Plant Immunity

Plants have evolved two tiers of immune receptors to detect infections: cell surface-resident PRRs sensing microbial signatures and intracellular nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat (NLR) proteins recognizing pathogen effectors. We have developed sensitive genetic screens to identify Arabidopsis Genes Governing Immune gene Expression (AGGIEs) that regulate plant PRR- and/or NLR-mediated immunity. Genetic and biochemical analyses of AGGIEs have revealed the importance of gene transcriptional, posttranscriptional, translational, and posttranslational regulations in plant innate immunity. In particular, we have revealed an essential, but less characterized posttranslational modification protein ADP-ribosylation in plant immunity, and uncovered a molecular link between PRR and NLR protein complexes through cell surface-resident malectin-like domain receptor-like kinases.

Layered transcriptional, posttranscriptional, translational and posttranslational regulations in plant immunity. See Cell Reports (2019), 28:2194-2205.

Key references:

  1. Yu, X., Li, B., Jang, G. J., Jiang, S., Jang J.C. Wu, S. H.,Shan, L., and He, P.(2019) Orchestration of Processing body dynamics and mRNA decay in Arabidopsis immunity. Cell Reports 28: 2194-2205.
  2. Mang H., Feng, B., Hu, Z., Boisson-Dernier, A., Franck, C.M., Meng, X., Xu, G., Wang, T., Shan, L., and He, P. (2017)Differential regulation of two-tiered plant immunity and sexual reproduction by ANXUR receptor-like kinases. The Plant Cell.  29: 3140–3156.
  3. Feng, B., Liu, C., Oliveira, M.V.V., Intorne, A.C., Li, B., Babilonia, K., Filho, G.A.S., Shan, L., and He, P. (2015) Protein poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation regulates Arabidopsis immune gene expression and defense responses. PLoS Genetics11: e1004936.
  4. Li, F., Cheng, C., Cui, F., Oliveira, M.V.V., Yu, X., Meng, X., Intorne, A.C., Babilonia, K., Li, M., Chen, X., Ma, X., Xiao, S., Zeng, Y., Fei, Z., Metz, R., Johnson, C.D., Koiwa, H., Sun, W., Li, Z., Filho, G.A.S., Shan, L., and He, P. (2014) Modulation of RNA polymerase II phosphorylation downstream of pathogen perception orchestrates plant immunity. Cell Host & Microbe 16: 748-758.