Distinct Responses to Pathogenic and Symbionic Microorganisms: The Role of Plant Immunity

Abstract

Plants must balance both beneficial (symbiotic) and pathogenic challenges from microorganisms, the former benefitting the plant and agriculture and the latter causing disease and economic harm. Plant innate immunity describes a highly conserved set of defense mechanisms that play pivotal roles in sensing immunogenic signals associated with both symbiotic and pathogenic microbes and subsequent downstream activation of signaling effector networks that protect the plant. An intriguing question is how the innate immune system distinguishes “friends” from “foes”. Here, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of the role and spectrum of innate immunity in recognizing and responding to different microbes. In addition, we also review some of the strategies used by microbes to manipulate plant signaling pathways and thus evade immunity, with emphasis on the use of effector proteins and micro-RNAs (miRNAs). Furthermore, we discuss potential questions that need addressing to advance the field of plant–microbe interactions.

Spatial co-transcriptomics reveals discrete stages of the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis

“…These genes were enriched for Gene Ontology terms related to fungal symbiosis, terpene synthesis pathways and transport proteins. We also found 17 different cytochrome P450-like proteins, whose roles in plant-microbe interactions include hydroxylation of fatty acids and terpene synthesis 85 , and 19 leucine-rich repeat domain-containing proteins that are typically associated with pathogenesis but have been shown to also be upregulated in AM symbiosis 85,86 . Several xenobiotic, sugar and amino acid transporters were also upregulated in CCC.…”

Impact of wine-grape continuous cropping on soil enzyme activity and the composition and function of the soil microbial community in arid areas

“…After the land use for vineyards, the litter and animal residues increase the nitrogen fixation of the soil, consequently leading to a higher relative abundance of Rhizobiales . In addition, the antagonism between Rhizobiales and pathogenic microorganisms also promoted the increase of their relative abundance ( Ji et al, 2022 ). The relative abundances of Solirubrobacterales and Pseudonocardiales were the highest in the uncultivated soil and the lowest in the early stage of land use (C5).…”

Spatial Co-transcriptomics Reveals Discrete Stages of the Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis

“…We found 17 different cytochrome P450-like proteins, whose roles in plant-microbe interactions include hydroxylation of fatty acids to provide fungal symbionts with carbon, as well as synthesis of terpenes for plant defense 62 . There were 19 leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain-containing proteins, which are critical for signaling cascades resulting from microbe-associated molecular pattern recognition, and while typically associated with plant-pathogen interactions, are also upregulated in plant-AM fungal symbiosis 63,64 . ABCG transporters such as MtABCG59 are known to secrete strigolactones in response to phosphate stress 48 , and were found enriched in the colonized cortex cluster (CCC).…”