title: The Arabidopsis receptor kinase FLS2 binds flg22 and determines the specificity of flagellin perception.
abstract: Flagellin, the main building block of the bacterial flagellum, acts as a pathogen-associated molecular pattern triggering the innate immune response in animals and plants. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the Leu-rich repeat transmembrane receptor kinase FLAGELLIN SENSITIVE2 (FLS2) is essential for flagellin perception. Here, we demonstrate the specific interaction of the elicitor-active epitope flg22 with the FLS2 protein by chemical cross-linking and immunoprecipitation. The functionality of this receptor was further tested by heterologous expression of the Arabidopsis FLS2 gene in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) cells. The perception of flg22 in tomato differs characteristically from that in Arabidopsis. Expression of Arabidopsis FLS2 conferred an additional flg22-perception system on the cells of tomato, which showed all of the properties characteristic of the perception of this elicitor in Arabidopsis. In summary, these results show that FLS2 constitutes the pattern-recognition receptor that determines the specificity of flagellin perception.
authors.affiliation: Zürich-Basel Plant Science Center, Botanisches Institut der Universität Basel, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chinchilla
authors.forename: Zsuzsa
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Regenass
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boller
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Felix
mesh_terms: D000468:Alkalies / Q000032:analysis; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001665:Binding Sites; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D005408:Flagellin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D011485:Protein Binding; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D000468:Alkalies; D000906:Antibodies; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D005408:Flagellin; D011494:Protein Kinases; C411853:FLS2 protein, Arabidopsis