Ding Shuting, Feng Shuxian, Zhou Shibo, Zhao Zhengran, Liang Xiao, Wang Jiao, Fu Ruishuang, Deng Rui, Zhang Tao, Shao Shujun, Yu Jingquan, Foyer Christine H, Shi Kai
Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, 310058, Hangzhou, China.
Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, 572025, Sanya, China.
EMBO J. 2024 Dec;43(23):6104-6123. doi: 10.1038/s44318-024-00278-z. Epub 2024 Oct 24.
Plants face constant threats from pathogens, leading to growth retardation and crop failure. Cell-surface leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases (LRR-RLKs) are crucial for plant growth and defense, but their specific functions, especially to necrotrophic fungal pathogens, are largely unknown. Here, we identified an LRR-RLK (Solyc06g069650) in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) induced by the economically important necrotrophic pathogen Botrytis cinerea. Knocking out this LRR-RLK reduced plant growth and increased sensitivity to B. cinerea, while its overexpression led to enhanced growth, yield, and resistance. We named this LRR-RLK as BRAK (B. cinerea resistance-associated kinase). Yeast two-hybrid screen revealed BRAK interacted with phytosulfokine (PSK) receptor PSKR1. PSK-induced growth and defense responses were impaired in pskr1, brak single and double mutants, as well as in PSKR1-overexpressing plants with silenced BRAK. Moreover, BRAK and PSKR1 phosphorylated each other, promoting their interaction as detected by microscale thermophoresis. This reciprocal phosphorylation was crucial for growth and resistance. In summary, we identified BRAK as a novel regulator of seedling growth, fruit yield and defense, offering new possibilities for developing fungal disease-tolerant plants without compromising yield.
植物不断面临病原体的威胁，导致生长迟缓并造成作物歉收。细胞表面富含亮氨酸重复序列的类受体激酶（LRR-RLKs）对植物生长和防御至关重要，但其具体功能，尤其是对坏死营养型真菌病原体的功能，在很大程度上尚不清楚。在此，我们在番茄（Solanum lycopersicum）中鉴定出一种受经济上重要的坏死营养型病原体灰葡萄孢诱导的LRR-RLK（Solyc06g069650）。敲除这种LRR-RLK会降低植物生长并增加对灰葡萄孢的敏感性，而其过表达则导致生长、产量和抗性增强。我们将这种LRR-RLK命名为BRAK（与灰葡萄孢抗性相关的激酶）。酵母双杂交筛选显示BRAK与植物硫肽激素（PSK）受体PSKR1相互作用。在pskr1、brak单突变体和双突变体以及BRAK沉默的PSKR1过表达植物中，PSK诱导的生长和防御反应均受损。此外，BRAK和PSKR1相互磷酸化，通过微量热泳检测发现这促进了它们的相互作用。这种相互磷酸化对生长和抗性至关重要。总之，我们鉴定出BRAK是幼苗生长、果实产量和防御的新型调节因子，为培育不影响产量的耐真菌病植物提供了新的可能性。
