Abstract
Pathogen detection by MAMPs/PAMPs recognition plays an important role for basal resistance in plants. Chitin oligosaccharide, a MAMP elicitor, induces defense responses in Arabidopsis and rice. We showed that a chitin elicitor binding protein, CEBiP, plays an important role as the cell surface receptor for chitin in rice1). Structural prediction indicated that CEBiP does not have any intracellular domains, indicating the presence of unknown partner protein(s) for signaling through the membrane. To identify such protein(s), we used reverse genetic approach with Arabidopsis KO mutants and identified a novel receptor-like kinase CERK1 as an essential component for chitin signaling 2).
On the other hand, forward genetic approach with the screening of T-DNA insertional mutants resulted in the finding of mutants with a much less or no response to chitin elicitor. Characterization of these mutansts will be discussed. 1)Kaku et al., PNAS, 103, 11086 ('06); 2)Miya et al., PNAS, in press.
