Molecular intimacy between proteins specifying plant-pathogen recognition
1Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich Research Park, UK. parkerj@bbsrc.ac.uk
Trends in Biochemical Sciences
|August 1, 1997
Abstract:
Disease resistance in plants is commonly specified by genetically paired plant resistance (R) and pathogen avirulence (Avr) proteins. Recent molecular analyses of several R-Avr protein interactions provide compelling evidence for a receptor-ligand mechanism in which specific binding of the Avr elicitor by its matching R protein leads to activation of the plant defence response. Direct R-Avr protein recognition precedes the function of an expanding battery of plant resistance signalling components.
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