Abstract
Plant bacterial pathogens equipped with the type III secretion system (TTSS) generally deliver different TTSS effector proteins into plant cells. These TTSS effector proteins modulate the function of crucial host regulatory molecules and allow bacteria to invade plant cells. To identify Xoo TTSS effectors that inhibit host immune responses, we generated transgenic rice plants expressing each of Xoo effectors. Transgenic plants expressing some of Xoo effectors developed severe disease lesions by infection with the hrpX mutant of Xoo, suggesting that these effectors may block the important steps in PAMPs-triggered immunity (PTI). We identified two rice receptor like cytoplasmic kinase (OsRLCKs) as potential interacting proteins for one of the effectors using yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screen. Interaction between the effector and OsRLCKs were analyzed by using Y2H and BiFC. We also found that OsRLCKs interacted with some of PAMP receptors. It was recently reported that RLCKs play important roles in signal transduction involved in plant immunity and development. We will discuss the role of OsRLCKs in PTI.
