Protein elicitor GP1pro targets aquaporin NbPIP2;4 to activate plant immunity

Sun Yubo 1 2, Ren Xingyu 1 2, Guo Wenhui 1 2, Wang Yong 1 2, Yan He 1 2, Han Lirong 3, Feng Juntao 1 2 4DOI: 10.1111/pce.14634

Abstract

The novel protein elicitor GP1pro is the protein component of glycoprotein GP-1 isolated and identified from Streptomyces kanasensis ZX01. GP1pro induces the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a hypersensitive response (HR), along with the accumulation of resistance-related genes and secondary metabolites. It ultimately regulates plant defence responses. Further analysis revealed that GP1pro interacts with the PIP2-family aquaporin protein NbPIP2;4 on the plant plasma membrane (PM) in Nicotiana benthamiana. PM localization is necessary for inducing GP1pro resistance. These results demonstrate that NbPIP2;4 acts as a H2 O2 transporter to positively regulate plant immunity and ROS accumulation. In summary, this study elucidates a conserved and novel pathway caused by GP1pro to initiate host cellular defences by targeting the plant aquaporin protein NbPIP2;4 and transporting apoplast-to-cytoplast H2 O2 to regulate plant immunity.

Keywords: H2O2; defence responses.