Receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases mediated signaling in plant immunity: convergence and divergence.

Receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs) function as a central player in plant receptor kinases-mediated signaling, which regulate various aspects of plant immunity and growth. RLCKs receive signals from pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) to activate pattern-triggered immunity (PTI), including reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, Ca influx, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades, cellulose synthesis, phosphatidic acid (PA) production, hormone synthesis and signaling, and transcriptional remodeling. Besides, RLCK also participate in effector-triggered immunity (ETI) and the interplay between ETI and PTI. Increasing evidences show that much more RLCKs are involved in plant immune responses and form an intertwined signaling network. This review summarizes the recent findings about RLCKs-mediated signaling in plant immune responses and emphasizes signal convergence and divergence involved which provides new insights into the RLCKs signaling network in diverse biological processes.