title: Cytokinins and plant immunity: old foes or new friends?
abstract: Cytokinins are plant growth promoting hormones involved in the specification of embryonic cells, maintenance of meristematic cells, shoot formation and development of vasculature. Cytokinins have also emerged as a major factor in plant-microbe interactions during nodule organogenesis and pathogenesis. Microbe-originated cytokinins confer abnormal hypersensitivity of cytokinins to plants, augmenting the sink activity of infected regions. However, recent findings have shed light on a distinct role of cytokinins in plant immune responses. Plant-borne cytokinins systemically induce resistance against pathogen infection. This resistance is orchestrated by endogenous cytokinin and salicylic acid signaling. Here, we discuss how plant- and pathogen-derived cytokinins inversely affect the plant defense response. In addition, we consider the molecular mechanisms underlying plant-derived cytokinin action in plant immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Korea.
authors.forename: Jaemyung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Daeseok
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Seungchul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Choong-Min
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Ildoo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D003583:Cytokinins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D057865:Plant Immunity; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D010944:Plants / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D020156:Salicylic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D003583:Cytokinins; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D020156:Salicylic Acid