Stomatal-based immunity differentiation across vascular plant lineages
Yuan-Yuan Zeng1, Xu-Dong Liu1,2, Guang-Qian Yao1
1State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
The New Phytologist
|March 15, 2025
Summary
Seed plants exhibit active stomatal closure and complex guard cell signaling against pathogens, a defense mechanism absent in ferns and lycophytes. This study reveals evolutionary differences in plant innate immunity.
Area of Science:
- Plant Pathology
- Plant Physiology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Plants possess 'stoma-based immunity' involving stomatal closure to block foliar pathogens.
- The diversity of stoma-based innate immunity across vascular plants is not well understood.
- Investigating guard cell signaling pathways is crucial for understanding plant defense mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate stomatal responses and guard cell signaling in seed plants, ferns, and lycophytes upon pathogen exposure.
- To determine variations in stoma-based immunity across different plant groups.
- To elucidate the physiological and biophysical mechanisms underlying differential stomatal immunity.
Main Methods:
- Exposure of various seed plant, fern, and lycophyte species to bacterial pathogens or pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs).
- Observation of stomatal closure responses.
- Analysis of downstream guard cell signaling events, including reactive oxygen species burst, calcium accumulation, nitric oxide production, ion fluxes, and pH changes.
Main Results:
- Active stomatal closure was observed in 10 seed plant species but not in any of the 9 fern or 1 lycophyte species tested.
- PAMP flg22-induced reactive oxygen species burst occurred in all tested species.
- Downstream signaling events (Ca2+ accumulation, NO production, ion fluxes, pH changes, vacuolar compartmentation, actin cytoskeleton changes) were exclusively detected in seed plants.
Conclusions:
- Significant differences exist in the regulation of stomatal immunity between seed plants and ferns/lycophytes.
- Seed plants possess advanced guard cell signaling pathways contributing to stoma-based immunity.
- These findings highlight evolutionary adaptations in plant defense mechanisms against pathogens.
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