Surface polysaccharides enable bacteria to evade plant immunity

Plants have an immune system to perceive pathogenic or potentially beneficial bacteria. Aspects of perception, signal transduction and the responses that the plant produces resemble features of innate immunity observed in animals. Plant reactions are various and include the production of antimicrobial compounds. Bacteria that are successful in establishing pathogenic or symbiotic interactions have developed multiple ways to protect themselves. We review the general importance of bacterial surface polysaccharides in the evasion of plant immune responses and elaborate on their role in protecting symbiotic bacteria against toxic reactive oxygen species during invasion of the host plant.