title: BAK1 is required for the attenuation of ethylene-inducing xylanase (Eix)-induced defense responses by the decoy receptor LeEix1.
abstract: Elicitor recognition plays a key role in the reaction of plants to pathogens and the induction of plant defense responses. Furthermore, plant-microbe interactions involve numerous regulatory systems essential for plant defense against pathogens. Ethylene-inducing xylanase (Eix) is a potent elicitor of plant defense responses in specific cultivars of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). The Eix receptors (LeEix1 and LeEix2) belong to a superclade of leucine-rich repeat receptor-like proteins (RLP) with a signal for receptor-mediated endocytosis, which was shown to be essential for proper induction of defense responses. Both receptors are able to bind Eix, while only LeEix2 mediates defense responses. Here we demonstrate that LeEix1 heterodimerizes with LeEix2 upon application of the Eix elicitor. We show that LeEix1 attenuates Eix-induced internalization and signaling of the LeEix2 receptor. Furthermore, we demonstrate, using yeast two-hybrid and in planta bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays, that the brassinosteroid co-receptor, BAK1, binds LeEix1 but not LeEix2. In BAK1-silenced plants, LeEix1 was no longer able to attenuate plant responses to Eix, indicating that BAK1 is required for this attenuation. We suggest that LeEix1 functions as a decoy receptor for LeEix2, a function which requires BAK1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bar
authors.forename: Miya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharfman
authors.forename: Mily
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ron
authors.forename: Adi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Avni
mesh_terms: D043364:Endo-1,4-beta Xylanases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004705:Endocytosis; D011992:Endosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005658:Fungi / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D020868:Gene Silencing; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D000090263:Leucine-Rich Repeat Proteins; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques
chemical_list: D005030:Ethylenes; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D000090263:Leucine-Rich Repeat Proteins; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D010940:Plant Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011506:Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; C036216:ethylene; D011494:Protein Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D043364:Endo-1,4-beta Xylanases