The Arabidopsis lectin receptor kinase LecRK‐I.9 enhances resistance to Phytophthora infestans in Solanaceous plants

Abstract

Summary Late blight caused by the plant pathogenic oomycete Phytophthora infestans is known as one of the most destructive potato diseases. Plant breeders tend to employ NB‐LRR‐based resistance for introducing genetically controlled late blight resistance in their breeding lines. However, P. infestans is able to rapidly escape this type of resistance, and hence, NB‐LRR‐based resistance in potato cultivars is often not durable. Previously, we identified a novel type of Phytophthora resistance in Arabidopsis. This resistance is mediated by the cell surface receptor LecRK‐I.9, which belongs to the family of L‐type lectin receptor kinases. In this study, we report that expression of the Arabidopsis LecRK‐I.9 gene in potato and Nicotiana benthamiana results in significantly enhanced late blight resistance. Transcriptional profiling showed strong reduction in salicylic acid (SA)‐mediated defence gene expression in LecRK‐I.9 transgenic potato lines (TPLs). In contrast, transcripts of two protease inhibitor genes accumulated to extreme high levels, suggesting that LecRK‐I.9‐mediated late blight resistance is relying on a defence response that includes activation of protease inhibitors. These results demonstrate that the functionality of LecRK‐I.9 in Phytophthora resistance is maintained after interfamily transfer to potato and N. benthamiana and suggest that this novel type of LecRK‐based resistance can be exploited in breeding strategies to improve durable late blight resistance in Solanaceous crops.

uORF-mediated translation allows engineered plant disease resistance without fitness costs

“…The first line of active defence in plants involves recognition of microbial/damage-associated molecular patterns (M/DAMPs) by host pattern-recognizing receptors (PRRs) in pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) 5 . Ectopic expression of PRRs for MAMPs 6, 7 and the DAMP signal eATP 8 , as well as in vivo release of the DAMP molecules, oligogalacturonides 9 , have all been shown to enhance resistance in transgenic plants. Besides PRR-mediated basal resistance, plant genomes encode hundreds of intracellular nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat (NB-LRR) immune receptors (also known as “R proteins”) to detect the presence of pathogen effectors delivered inside plant cells 10 .…”

Pattern Recognition Receptors—Versatile Genetic Tools for Engineering Broad-Spectrum Disease Resistance in Crops

“…Expression of the Arabidopsis eATP receptor DORN1 (also known as P2K1) in potato, for instance, enhances resistance to P. infestans [22,81]. Alternatively, plants can be engineered to produce the desired DAMP upon infection with diverse pathogens, for instance, by introducing a microbial enzyme producing the DAMP under control of a pathogen-responsive promoter.…”

Biotech Potatoes in the 21st Century: 20 Years Since the First Biotech Potato

“…For example, the Brassicaceae-specific EFR protein, which recognizes bacterial EFTu, can increase bacterial resistance in the Solanaceous plants tomato and Nicotiana benthamiana (Lacombe et al 2010). Similarly, the Arabidopsis lectin receptor kinase LecRK1.9 is able to confer increased resistance to P. infestans when expressed in potato and N. benthamiana (Bouwmeester et al 2014).…”