title: MAP kinase signalling cascade in Arabidopsis innate immunity.
abstract: There is remarkable conservation in the recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) by innate immune responses of plants, insects and mammals. We developed an Arabidopsis thaliana leaf cell system based on the induction of early-defence gene transcription by flagellin, a highly conserved component of bacterial flagella that functions as a PAMP in plants and mammals. Here we identify a complete plant MAP kinase cascade (MEKK1, MKK4/MKK5 and MPK3/MPK6) and WRKY22/WRKY29 transcription factors that function downstream of the flagellin receptor FLS2, a leucine-rich-repeat (LRR) receptor kinase. Activation of this MAPK cascade confers resistance to both bacterial and fungal pathogens, suggesting that signalling events initiated by diverse pathogens converge into a conserved MAPK cascade.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Tsuneaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asai
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tena
authors.forename: Joulia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Plotnikova
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Willmann
authors.forename: Wan-Ling
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gomez-Gomez
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boller
authors.forename: Frederick M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Ausubel
authors.forename: Jen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sheen
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020171:Botrytis / Q000502:physiology; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D005408:Flagellin / Q000378:metabolism; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011523:Protoplasts; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D005408:Flagellin; D011494:Protein Kinases; C411853:FLS2 protein, Arabidopsis; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases