Diverse microbes cause plant disease, and plants have evolved a robust innate immune system that recognizes pathogen molecules and then activates defense. Immunity involves cell surface receptors and also intracellular nucleotide binding, leucine rich repeat immune receptors (NLRs), encoded by Resistance (R) genes, that resemble mammalian NOD-like receptors. Plants encode 100s of such receptors, which show extensive genetic variation and allelic diversity.
For some responses, two co-functioning NLR proteins are required. The adjacent, divergently transcribed, Arabidopsis RPS4 and RRS1 genes, encoding TIR-NLR proteins, are both required for resistance to bacteria that deliver AvrRps4 or PopP2 effectors, and for resistance to certain Colletotrichum fungal strains. RRS1 carries a C- terminal WRKY DNA-binding domain that is targeted by AvrRps4 and PopP2, suggesting these effectors target WRKY domains. Using R gene enrichment sequencing (Renseq), we explored the diversity of such “integrated decoy” and other NLRs in Brassicaceae and Solanaceae. We have used genetics, biochemistry and cell biology to investigate the functions and mechanisms of the RPS4/ RRS1 complex, and I will suggest how these and other paired R proteins might convert pathogen effector recognition into defense activation.
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