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The self-association of Toll/interleukin-1 receptor/resistance protein (TIR) domains has been implicated in signaling in plant and animal immunity receptors. Structure-based studies identified different TIR-domain dimerization interfaces required for signaling of the plant nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors (NLRs) L6 from flax and disease resistance protein RPS4 from Arabidopsis Here we show that the crystal structure of the TIR domain from the Arabidopsis NLR suppressor of npr1-1, constitutive 1 (SNC1) contains both an L6-like interface involving helices αD and αE (DE interface) and an RPS4-like interface involving helices αA and αE (AE interface). Mutations in either the AE- or DE-interface region disrupt cell-death signaling activity of SNC1, L6, and RPS4 TIR domains and full-length L6 and RPS4. Self-association of L6 and RPS4 TIR domains is affected by mutations in either region, whereas only AE-interface mutations affect SNC1 TIR-domain self-association. We further show two similar interfaces in the crystal structure of the TIR domain from the Arabidopsis NLR recognition of Peronospora parasitica 1 (RPP1). These data demonstrate that both the AE and DE self-association interfaces are simultaneously required for self-association and cell-death signaling in diverse plant NLRs.

Summary: Some nucleotide‐binding and leucine‐rich repeat receptors (NLRs) indirectly detect pathogen effectors by monitoring their host targets. In Arabidopsis thaliana, RIN4 is targeted by multiple sequence‐unrelated effectors and activates immune responses mediated by RPM1 and RPS2. These effectors trigger cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana, but the corresponding NLRs have yet not been identified. To identify N. benthamiana NLRs (NbNLRs) that recognize Arabidopsis RIN4‐targeting effectors, we conducted a rapid reverse genetic screen using an NbNLR VIGS library.We identified that the N. benthamiana homolog of Ptr1 (Pseudomonas tomato race 1) recognizes the Pseudomonas effectors AvrRpt2, AvrRpm1, and AvrB.We demonstrated that recognition of the Xanthomonas effector AvrBsT and the Pseudomonas effector HopZ5 is conferred independently by the N. benthamiana homolog of Ptr1 and ZAR1. Interestingly, the recognition of HopZ5 and AvrBsT is contributed unequally by Ptr1 and ZAR1 in N. benthamiana and Capsicum annuum. In addition, we showed that the RLCK XII family protein JIM2 is required for the NbZAR1‐dependent recognition of AvrBsT and HopZ5.The recognition of sequence‐unrelated effectors by NbPtr1 and NbZAR1 provides an additional example of convergently evolved effector recognition. Identification of key components involved in Ptr1 and ZAR1‐mediated immunity could reveal unique mechanisms of expanded effector recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Multiple bacterial effectors target RPM1‐INTERACTING PROTEIN4 (RIN4), the biochemical modifications of which are recognized by several plant nucleotide‐binding and leucine‐rich repeat immune receptor (NLR) proteins. Recently, a comparative study of Arabidopsis and apple (Malus domestica) RIN4s revealed that the RIN4 specificity motif (RSM) is critical for NLR regulation. Here, we investigated the extent to which the RSM contributes to the functions of natural RIN4 variants. Functional analysis of 33 natural RIN4 variants from 28 plant species showed that the RSM is generally required yet sometimes dispensable for the RIN4‐mediated suppression of NLR auto‐activity or effector‐triggered NLR activation. Association analysis of the sequences and fire blight resistance gene originating from Malus × robusta 5 (FB_MR5) activation functions of the natural RIN4 variants revealed H167 to be an indispensable residue for RIN4 function in the regulation of NLRs. None of the tested natural RIN4 variants could suppress RESISTANCE TO PSEUDOMONAS SYRINGAE PV. MACULICOLA1 (RPM1) auto‐activity and activate FB_MR5. To engineer RIN4 to carry broader NLR compatibility, we generated chimeric RIN4 proteins, several of which could regulate RPM1, RESISTANT TO PSEUDOMONAS SYRINGAE2 (RPS2), and FB_MR5. We propose that the intrinsically disordered nature of RIN4 provides a flexible platform to broaden pathogen recognition specificity by establishing compatibility with otherwise incompatible NLRs. Significance Statement: RPM1‐interacting protein 4 (RIN4), a key regulator of plant immunity, is targeted and guarded by multiple pathogen effectors and disease resistance (R) proteins, respectively. By exploring the functional relevance of the RIN4 specificity motif (RSM) in regulation of R proteins by multiple natural RIN4 variants, we show that the RSM is selectively required for specific R protein regulation. By generating chimeric natural RIN4 variants, we developed an artificial RIN4 variant that can regulate multiple R proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant pathogenic bacteria deliver effectors into plant cells to suppress immunity and promote pathogen survival; however, these effectors can be recognized by plant disease resistance proteins to activate innate immunity. The bacterial acetyltransferase effectors HopZ5 and AvrBsT trigger immunity in Arabidopsis thaliana genotypes lacking SUPPRESSOR OF AVRBST-ELICITED RESISTANCE 1 (SOBER1). Using an Arabidopsis accession, Tscha-1, that naturally lacks functional SOBER1 but is unable to recognize HopZ5, we demonstrated that RESISTANCE TO P. SYRINGAE PV MACULICOLA 1 (RPM1) and RPM1-INTERACTING PROTEIN 4 (RIN4) are indispensable for HopZ5- or AvrBsT-triggered immunity. Remarkably, T166 of RIN4, the phosphorylation of which is induced by AvrB and AvrRpm1, is directly acetylated by HopZ5 and AvrBsT. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the acetylation of RIN4 T166 is required and sufficient for HopZ5- or AvrBsT-triggered RPM1-dependent defense activation. Finally, we showed that SOBER1 interferes with HopZ5- or AvrBsT-triggered immunity by deacetylating RIN4 T166. Collectively, our study elucidates detailed molecular mechanisms underlying the activation and suppression of plant innate immunity triggered by two bacterial acetyltransferases, HopZ5 and AvrBsT, from different bacterial pathogens. Pathogen effector-induced biochemical modifications of host target proteins can activate NLR-mediated plant immunity. This study shows the molecular mechanism by which an Arabidopsis NLR immune receptor, RPM1, is activated by sensing RIN4 acetylation directed by two bacterial acetyltransferase effectors, HopZ5 and AvrBsT. An Arabidopsis deacetylase, SOBER1, interferes with HopZ5- or AvrBsT-triggered immunity by deacetylation of RIN4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Whole‐genome annotation error that omits essential protein‐coding genes hinders further research.We developed Target Gene Family Finder (TGFam‐Finder), an alternative tool for the structural annotation of protein‐coding genes containing target domain(s) of interest in plant genomes. TGFam‐Finder took considerably reduced annotation run‐time and improved accuracy compared to conventional annotation tools.Large‐scale re‐annotation of 50 plant genomes identified an average of 150, 166 and 86 additional far‐red‐impaired response 1, nucleotide‐binding and leucine‐rich‐repeat, and cytochrome P450 genes, respectively, that were missed in previous annotations. We detected significantly higher number of translated genes in the new annotations using mass spectrometry data from seven plant species compared to previous annotations.TGFam‐Finder along with the new gene models can provide an optimized platform for comprehensive functional, comparative, and evolutionary studies in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Some virulence effectors secreted from pathogens target host proteins and induce biochemical modifications that are monitored by nucleotide‐binding and leucine‐rich repeat (NLR) immune receptors. Arabidopsis RIN4 protein (AtRIN4: RPM1‐interacting protein 4) homologs are present in diverse plant species and targeted by several bacterial type III effector proteins including the cysteine protease AvrRpt2.RIN4 is 'guarded' by several independently evolved NLRs from various plant species, including Arabidopsis RPS2. Recently, it was shown that the MR5 NLR from a wild apple relative can recognize the AvrRpt2 effector from Erwinia amylovora, but the details of this recognition remained unclear.The present contribution reports the mechanism of AvrRpt2 recognition by independently evolved NLRs, MR5 from apple and RPS2, both of which require proteolytically processed RIN4 for activation. It shows that the C‐terminal cleaved product of apple RIN4 (MdRIN4) but not AtRIN4 is necessary and sufficient for MR5 activation. Additionally, two polymorphic residues in AtRIN4 and MdRIN4 are identified that are crucial in the regulation of and physical association with NLRs.It is proposed that polymorphisms in RIN4 from distantly related plant species allow it to remain an effector target while maintaining compatibility with multiple NLRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognition of pathogen effectors is a crucial step for triggering plant immunity. Resistance (R) genes often encode for nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptors (NLRs), and NLRs detect effectors from pathogens to trigger effector-triggered immunity (ETI). NLR recognition of effectors is observed in diverse forms where NLRs directly interact with effectors or indirectly detect effectors by monitoring host guardees/decoys (HGDs). HGDs undergo different biochemical modifications by diverse effectors and expand the effector recognition spectrum of NLRs, contributing robustness to plant immunity. Interestingly, in many cases of the indirect recognition of effectors, HGD families targeted by effectors are conserved across the plant species while NLRs are not. Notably, a family of diversified HGDs can activate multiple non-orthologous NLRs across plant species. Further investigation on HGDs would reveal the mechanistic basis of how the diversification of HGDs confers novel effector recognition by NLRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]