Chloroplast protein StFC-II was manipulated by a Phytophthora effector to enhance host susceptibility

Oomycete secretes a range of RxLR effectors into host cells to manipulate plant immunity by targeting proteins from several organelles. In this study, we report that chloroplast protein StFC-II is hijacked by a pathogen effector to enhance susceptibility. Phytophthora infestans RxLR effector Pi22922 is activated during the early stages of P. infestans colonization. Stable overexpression of Pi22922 in plants suppresses flg22-triggered reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst and enhances leaf colonization by P. infestans. A potato ferrochelatase 2 (FC-II, a nuclear-encoded chloroplast-targeted protein), a key enzyme for heme biosynthesis in chloroplast, was identified as a target of Pi22922 in the cytoplasm. The pathogenicity of Pi22922 in plants is partially dependent on FC-II. Overexpression of StFC-II decreases resistance of potato and Nicotiana benthamiana against P. infestans, and silencing of NbFC-II in N. benthamiana reduces P. infestans colonization. Overexpression of StFC-II increases heme content and reduces chlorophyll content and photosynthetic efficiency in potato leaves. Moreover, ROS accumulation both in chloroplast and cytoplasm is attenuated and defense-related genes are down-regulated in StFC-II overexpression transgenic potato and N. benthamiana leaves. Pi22922 inhibits E3 ubiquitin ligase StCHIP-mediated StFC-II degradation in the cytoplasm and promotes its accumulation in chloroplasts. In summary, this study characterizes a new mechanism that an oomycete RxLR effector suppresses host defenses by promoting StFC-II accumulation in chloroplasts, thereby compromising the host immunity and promoting susceptibility.