Building blocks toward cell surface receptor-mediated immunity in plants.
Gabriel X Garcia-Ramirez1, Mung Hsia Foo1, Hirofumi Nakagami1
1Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, 50829 Cologne, Germany.
Current Biology : CB
|June 8, 2026
Summary
Land plants developed innate immunity to survive on land, using cell surface and intracellular receptors to detect microbes. This review explores the evolution of plant immune signaling, focusing on receptor-mediated pathways potentially linked to the water-to-land transition.
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Evolutionary biology
- Immunology
Background:
- Land plants possess an innate immune system crucial for terrestrial survival and interaction with microorganisms.
- Plant immunity relies on cell surface receptors sensing conserved microbial molecules and intracellular receptors detecting microbial effectors.
- Immune receptor genes evolve rapidly, leading to diverse gene repertoires across plant species, shaped by ecological interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the evolutionary processes that shaped plant immune signaling pathways.
- To focus on the evolution of cell surface receptor-mediated pathways.
- To investigate the potential association of these pathways with the transition of plants from aquatic to terrestrial environments.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on plant innate immunity and immune gene evolution.
- Analysis of the roles of cell surface and intracellular receptors in plant defense.
- Comparative examination of immune receptor gene repertoires across different plant species.
Main Results:
- Plant immune systems utilize both shared and unique signaling components for defense responses.
- Rapid evolution of immune receptor genes suggests adaptation to specific ecological niches.
- Cell surface receptor-mediated pathways may have played a role in the adaptation to land.
Conclusions:
- The plant immune system is a complex, rapidly evolving network critical for survival.
- Understanding the evolution of plant immunity provides insights into plant adaptation and diversification.
- Further research into receptor-mediated pathways can illuminate the origins of plant terrestrial life.
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