Plant NLR immune receptor Tm-22 activation requires NB-ARC domain-mediated self-association of CC domain

PLoS Pathog. 2020 Apr 27;16(4):e1008475. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008475. eCollection 2020 Apr.

Abstract

The nucleotide-binding, leucine-rich repeat-containing (NLR) class of immune receptors of plants and animals recognize pathogen-encoded proteins and trigger host defenses. Although animal NLRs form oligomers upon pathogen recognition to activate downstream signaling, the mechanisms of plant NLR activation remain largely elusive. Tm-22 is a plasma membrane (PM)-localized coiled coil (CC)-type NLR and confers resistance to Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) by recognizing its viral movement protein (MP). In this study, we found that Tm-22 self-associates upon recognition of MP. The CC domain of Tm-22 is the signaling domain and its function requires PM localization and self-association. The nucleotide-binding (NB-ARC) domain is important for Tm-22 self-interaction and regulates activation of the CC domain through its nucleotide-binding and self-association. (d)ATP binding may alter the NB-ARC conformation to release its suppression of Tm-22 CC domain-mediated cell death. Our findings provide the first example of signaling domain for PM-localized NLR and insight into PM-localized NLR activation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Disease Resistance
  • NLR Proteins / immunology
  • NLR Proteins / metabolism*
  • Nicotiana / immunology
  • Nicotiana / metabolism*
  • Nicotiana / virology*
  • Plant Diseases / immunology*
  • Plant Diseases / virology
  • Plant Immunity
  • Plant Proteins / immunology
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism*
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Domains
  • Receptors, Immunologic / immunology
  • Receptors, Immunologic / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Tobacco Mosaic Virus / metabolism
  • Tobacco Mosaic Virus / pathogenicity

Substances

  • NLR Proteins
  • Plant Proteins
  • Receptors, Immunologic

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31530059, 31920103013 and 31421001) and the National Transgenic Program of China (2019ZX08009-003; 2019ZX08005-001). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.