Entry #1169: Study of proteolysis of plant immune receptors

Immune receptors are arguably the most important proteins of the plant immune system as these are responsible for initiating the immune response. Immune receptors located at the plasma membrane constitute the frontline of pathogen recognition. Due to their crucial function, the homeostasis, activities, and subcellular dynamics of these receptors are subjected to tight regulation. Understanding the function and regulation of immune receptors therefore promises to reveal new opportunities for crop protection.
Proteolytic cleavage of immune receptors is emerging as a necessary regulatory process of immune receptor function. Through proteomics data mining, we have generated a list of receptor candidates that undergo proteolysis in vivo. The next step is to validate these candidates in planta.

Aim:

Investigate proteolysis of immune receptors of the model plant Nicotiana benthamiana.

Methods and tools:

1. Generation of Agroinfiltration constructs for the transient expression of immune receptors in Nicotiana benthamiana
2. Preparation of plant extracts for biochemical analysis
3. Visualization of receptor proteolysis via western blot
4. Challenge of receptor proteolysis with protease inhibitors