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Nuclear localization and the C-terminus region of PiAVR3b from Phytophthora infestans are required for recognition by the resistance protein Rpi-R3b

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Abstract

Recognition of avirulence (AVR) proteins by cognate plant resistance proteins leads to effector-triggered immunity. Previous reports have indicated that the Phytophthora infestans avirulence effector 3b (PiAVR3b) can trigger a hypersensitive response when recognized by resistance protein Rpi-R3b. However, the molecular mechanisms by which the PiAVR3b triggers immune responses are largely unknown. Here, we investigated the variation of PiAVR3b in diverse P. infestans isolates and found that they show the presence/absence polymorphisms. The allelic variation of PiAVR3b showed three polymorphic residues at positions 41, 85 and 124. Truncation and expression analysis showed that a 61-amino acid region in the C-terminus half of PiAVR3b was enough to trigger Rpi-R3b-mediated cell death. In addition, we found that a paralogue of PiAVR3b, PITG_18221, escaped recognition by Rpi-R3b. Microscopic imaging revealed that PiAVR3b was located in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. The nuclear localization of PiAVR3b was required for the Rpi-R3b-mediated immunity. Finally, we proved that both SGT1 and HSP90 are essential for PiAVR3b-triggered cell death. Our results provide a basis for further investigation of how PiAVR3b triggers plant immunity.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Lina Yang (Fujian Agricultural and Forestry University) for providing P. infestans isolates AH9-7, AS-15, AH8-7, Pd21203.

Funding

This work was partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant number 31800134, 32060499) and the Yunnan Fundamental Research Projects (Grant number 2019FB023, 202101AT070110).

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  1. Hongyang Wang and Yindi Zhang contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yunnan Key Laboratory of Potato Biology, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, 650500, China

    Hongyang Wang, Yindi Zhang, Hongying Luan, Jing Liu, Wei Tang & Canhui Li

  2. Teaching Affairs Department, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, 650500, China

    Aie Chen

  3. Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, 150086, China

    Jie Lu

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  1. Hongyang Wang
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Contributions

Hongyang Wang and Yindi Zhang performed most experiments and prepared the manuscript; Hongying Luan, Aie Chen, Jing Liu, and Jie Lu performed data analysis, microscopy study and repeated cell death statistics; Wei Tang and Canhui Li designed experiments and improved the manuscript quality. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Wei Tang or Canhui Li.

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Wang, H., Zhang, Y., Luan, H. et al. Nuclear localization and the C-terminus region of PiAVR3b from Phytophthora infestans are required for recognition by the resistance protein Rpi-R3b. Eur J Plant Pathol 163, 483–493 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-022-02491-0

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