Small size, big impact: Small molecules in plant systemic immune signaling

Plants produce diverse small molecules rapidly in response to localized pathogenic attack. Some of the molecules are able to migrate systemically as mobile signals, leading to the immune priming that protects the distal tissues against future infections by a broad-spectrum of invaders. Such form of defense is unique in plants and is known as systemic acquired resistance (SAR). There are many small molecules identified so far with important roles in the systemic immune signaling, some may have the potential to act as the mobile systemic signal in SAR establishment. Here, we summarize the recent advances in SAR research, with a focus on the role and mechanisms of different small molecules in systemic immune signaling.