“Analysis of NLR immunity signalling across plant species”

Mechanisms of surveillance by plants and counter-surveillance by microbes provide a fascinating framework for deciphering host-pathogen coevolution and identifying disease resistance signalling nodes. We’re studying plant recognition of host-adapted (biotrophic) pathogens and the processes by which intracellular (NLR) immune receptors, sensing pathogen interference with host cells, transmit pathogen effector recognition to downstream defense and cell death pathways. Using genetic, transcriptomic and protein molecular/structural approaches in Arabidopsis we’ve identified distinctive NLR-mobilized defence pathways (sectors) that contribute to pathogen resistance. We’re now exploring how and where in cells and tissues these pathways operate to confer immunity. Arabidopsis serves as a springboard to explore defence network properties in other seed plant lineages (such as solanaceous and monocot species) which have different NLR receptor panels. I’ll describe our recent insights to NLR activation and immunity signalling and evidence that certain NLR downstream signalling/resistance execution modules have co-evolved within plant species or groups. The results are important for assembling functional innate immunity pathways and understand how these have evolved resilience against pathogen attack.