Should I stay or should I go? Traffic control for plant pattern recognition receptors

Plants employ cell surface-localised receptors to recognise potential invaders via perception of microbe-derived molecules. This is mediated by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that bind microbe-associated or damage-associated molecular patterns or perceive apoplastic effector proteins secreted by microorganisms. In either case, effective recognition and initiation of appropriate defence responses rely on a signalling competent pool of receptors at the cell surface. Maintenance of this pool of receptors at the plasma membrane is guaranteed by sorting of properly folded ligand-unbound and ligand-bound receptors via the secretory-endosomal network in an activation-dependent manner. Recent findings highlight that ligand-induced endocytosis is found across members of distinct PRR families suggesting a conserved mechanism by which PRRs and immunity is regulated.