Plant cell wall-mediated disease resistance: Current understanding and future perspectives

Area of Science:

• Plant molecular biology and immunology
• Plant cell wall biology
• Crop protection science

Background:

• Plant cell walls are dynamic structures crucial for adaptation and stress responses.
• Damage- or microbe-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs/MAMPs), often glycans, are released from cell walls.
• These DAMPs/MAMPs are perceived by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) to activate plant immunity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current understanding of glycan recognition mechanisms by plant PRRs.
• To highlight newly identified plant PRR families involved in oligosaccharide/polysaccharide perception.
• To emphasize the potential of understanding glycan-PRR interactions for sustainable crop protection.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and synthesis of existing research on plant PRRs and glycan recognition.
• Identification and categorization of different plant PRR families involved in glycan perception.
• Comparative analysis of glycan recognition mechanisms across different PRR families.

Main Results:

• While Lysin Motif (LysM)-PRRs are well-studied for glycan perception, other PRR families are emerging.
• These include Receptor Kinases (RKs) with Leucine-Rich Repeat and Malectin domains (LRR-MAL RKs), Catharanthus roseus RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE 1-LIKE (CrRLK1L) receptors, wall-associated kinases, lectin-RKs, and LRR-extensins.
• The structural basis for glycan recognition by these diverse PRRs is still under investigation.

Conclusions:

• Characterizing the structural basis of glycan recognition by newly identified plant PRRs is crucial.
• This knowledge can illuminate similarities with mammalian glycan perception systems.
• Understanding these mechanisms offers potential for developing novel, glycan-based crop protection strategies.