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Updated: Mar 8, 2026

Identification of Post-translational Modifications of Plant Protein Complexes
Published on: February 22, 2014
The receptor kinase FER is a RALF-regulated scaffold controlling plant immune signaling
Martin Stegmann1, Jacqueline Monaghan1, Elwira Smakowska-Luzan2
1The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.
Abstract:
In plants, perception of invading pathogens involves cell-surface immune receptor kinases. Here, we report that the Arabidopsis SITE-1 PROTEASE (S1P) cleaves endogenous RAPID ALKALINIZATION FACTOR (RALF) propeptides to inhibit plant immunity. This inhibition is mediated by the malectin-like receptor kinase FERONIA (FER), which otherwise facilitates the ligand-induced complex formation of the immune receptor kinases EF-TU RECEPTOR (EFR) and FLAGELLIN-SENSING 2 (FLS2) with their co-receptor BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 1-ASSOCIATED KINASE 1 (BAK1) to initiate immune signaling. We show that FER acts as a RALF-regulated scaffold that modulates receptor kinase complex assembly. A similar scaffolding mechanism may underlie FER function in other signaling pathways.
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