Engineered pattern recognition receptors enhance broad-spectrum plant resistance

Area of Science:

• Plant pathology
• Genetics
• Crop science

Background:

• Intracellular immune receptors dominate conventional plant resistance breeding.
• Cell-surface pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are underexplored despite their potential for crop improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential of PRRs for enhancing crop resistance.
• To engineer the Arabidopsis receptor-like protein 23 (RLP23) for broad-spectrum disease resistance in crops.

Main Methods:

• Heterologous expression of Arabidopsis RLP23 in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum).
• Identification and engineering of the C-terminal domain of RLPs for enhanced efficacy.
• Testing resistance against bacterial, fungal, and oomycete pathogens in engineered tomato plants.
• Extension of the RLP engineering strategy to rice and poplar.

Main Results:

• Arabidopsis RLP23 confers broad-spectrum resistance to pathogens from three kingdoms when introduced into tomato.
• The C-terminal domain of RLPs is critical for compatibility and efficacy in heterologous expression.
• Targeted engineering of the RLP23 C-terminal domain significantly enhances its disease resistance capabilities in tomato.
• Engineered RLP23 provides robust resistance without compromising crop yield.
• The RLP engineering strategy is applicable across different plant species like rice and poplar.

Conclusions:

• PRR-based engineering offers a versatile framework for developing sustainable crop protection strategies.
• RLP23 engineering provides a powerful tool for enhancing crop resilience against diverse pathogens.
• This approach opens new avenues for improving global food security through advanced breeding techniques.