The N-terminus of an Ustilaginoidea virens Ser-Thr-rich glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein elicits plant immunity as a MAMP

Tianqiao Song; You Zhang; Qi Zhang; Xiong Zhang; Danyu Shen; Junjie Yu; Mina Yu; Xiayan Pan; Huijuan Cao; Mingli Yong; Zhongqiang Qi; Yan Du; Rongsheng Zhang; Xiaole Yin; Junqing Qiao; Youzhou Liu; Wende Liu; Wenxian Sun; Zhengguang Zhang; Yuanchao Wang; Daolong Dou; Zhenchuan Ma; Yongfeng Liu

doi:10.1038/s41467-021-22660-9

The N-terminus of an Ustilaginoidea virens Ser-Thr-rich glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein elicits plant immunity as a MAMP

Nat Commun. 2021 Apr 27;12(1):2451. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-22660-9.

Authors

Tianqiao Song¹, You Zhang¹, Qi Zhang², Xiong Zhang², Danyu Shen², Junjie Yu¹, Mina Yu¹, Xiayan Pan¹, Huijuan Cao¹, Mingli Yong¹, Zhongqiang Qi¹, Yan Du¹, Rongsheng Zhang¹, Xiaole Yin¹, Junqing Qiao¹, Youzhou Liu¹, Wende Liu³, Wenxian Sun⁴, Zhengguang Zhang², Yuanchao Wang², Daolong Dou², Zhenchuan Ma⁵, Yongfeng Liu⁶

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China.
² Department of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
³ State Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
⁴ College of Plant Protection, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China.
⁵ Department of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China. [email protected].
⁶ Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China. [email protected].

Abstract

Many pathogens infect hosts through specific organs, such as Ustilaginoidea virens, which infects rice panicles. Here, we show that a microbe-associated molecular pattern (MAMP), Ser-Thr-rich Glycosyl-phosphatidyl-inositol-anchored protein (SGP1) from U. virens, induces immune responses in rice leaves but not panicles. SGP1 is widely distributed among fungi and acts as a proteinaceous, thermostable elicitor of BAK1-dependent defense responses in N. benthamiana. Plants specifically recognize a 22 amino acid peptide (SGP1 N terminus peptide 22, SNP22) in its N-terminus that induces cell death, oxidative burst, and defense-related gene expression. Exposure to SNP22 enhances rice immunity signaling and resistance to infection by multiple fungal and bacterial pathogens. Interestingly, while SGP1 can activate immune responses in leaves, SGP1 is required for U. virens infection of rice panicles in vivo, showing it contributes to the virulence of a panicle adapted pathogen.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Amino Acid Sequence
Cell Death / genetics
Cell Death / immunology
Fungal Proteins / genetics
Fungal Proteins / immunology*
Gene Expression Regulation
Glycosylphosphatidylinositols / chemistry
Glycosylphosphatidylinositols / metabolism
Host-Pathogen Interactions / genetics
Host-Pathogen Interactions / immunology
Hypocreales / genetics
Hypocreales / growth & development
Hypocreales / immunology
Hypocreales / pathogenicity*
Inflorescence / genetics
Inflorescence / immunology
Inflorescence / microbiology
Oryza / genetics
Oryza / immunology*
Oryza / microbiology
Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern Molecules / immunology
Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern Molecules / metabolism
Peptides / genetics
Peptides / immunology
Plant Cells / immunology
Plant Cells / pathology
Plant Diseases / genetics
Plant Diseases / immunology*
Plant Diseases / microbiology
Plant Immunity / genetics
Plant Leaves / genetics
Plant Leaves / immunology*
Plant Leaves / microbiology
Plant Proteins / genetics
Plant Proteins / immunology*
Sequence Alignment
Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
Signal Transduction
Virulence

Substances

Fungal Proteins
Glycosylphosphatidylinositols
Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern Molecules
Peptides
Plant Proteins

Supplementary concepts

Ustilaginoidea virens