title: CRT1 is a nuclear-translocated MORC endonuclease that participates in multiple levels of plant immunity.
abstract: Arabidopsis thaliana CRT1 (compromised for recognition of Turnip Crinkle Virus) was previously shown to be required for effector-triggered immunity. Sequence analyses previously revealed that CRT1 contains the ATPase and S5 domains characteristic of Microchidia (MORC) proteins; these proteins are associated with DNA modification and repair. Here we show that CRT1 and its closest homologue, CRH1, are also required for pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP)-triggered immunity, basal resistance, non-host resistance and systemic acquired resistance. Consistent with its role in PAMP-triggered immunity, CRT1 interacted with the PAMP recognition receptor FLS2. Subcellular fractionation and transmission electron microscopy detected a subpopulation of CRT1 in the nucleus, whose levels increased following PAMP treatment or infection with an avirulent pathogen. These results, combined with the demonstration that CRT1 binds DNA, exhibits endonuclease activity, and affects tolerance to the DNA-damaging agent mitomycin C, argue that this prototypic eukaryotic member of the MORC superfamily has important nuclear functions during immune response activation.
authors.affiliation: Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA. kang@txstate.edu|Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, 78666, Texas, USA
authors.forename: Hong-Gu
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA. kang@txstate.edu
authors.forename: Woo Choi
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Hyong
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Bio Systems, Land Use, and Nutrition|Institute for Botany, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, D-35392, Germany
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: von Einem
authors.affiliation: Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA. kang@txstate.edu
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Manosalva
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Bio Systems, Land Use, and Nutrition|Institute for Botany, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, D-35392, Germany
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ehlers
authors.affiliation: Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA. kang@txstate.edu
authors.forename: Po-Pu
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Bio Systems, Land Use, and Nutrition|Institute for Botany, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, D-35392, Germany
authors.forename: Stefanie V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Buxa
authors.affiliation: Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA. kang@txstate.edu
authors.forename: Magali
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moreau
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, 78666, Texas, USA
authors.forename: Hyung-Gon
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Mang
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, 40546, Kentucky, USA
authors.forename: Pradeep
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kachroo
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Bio Systems, Land Use, and Nutrition|Institute for Botany, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, D-35392, Germany
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kogel
authors.affiliation: Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA. kang@txstate.edu
authors.forename: Daniel F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Klessig
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus / Q000502:physiology; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004720:Endonucleases / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D057865:Plant Immunity / Q000502:physiology*; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D016685:Mitomycin; D011494:Protein Kinases; C411853:FLS2 protein, Arabidopsis; C581565:CRT1 protein, Arabidopsis; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases; D004720:Endonucleases