The plant trans-Golgi network component ECHIDNA regulates defense, cell death, and endoplasmic reticulum stress

Abstract

The trans-Golgi network component protein ECHIDNA plays important roles in regulating plant immunity and stress responses.The trans-Golgi network (TGN) acts as a central platform for sorting and secreting various cargoes to the cell surface, thus being essential for the full execution of plant immunity. However, the fine-tuned regulation of TGN components in plant defense and stress response has been not fully elucidated. Our study revealed that despite largely compromising penetration resistance, the loss-of-function mutation of the TGN component protein ECHIDNA (ECH) induced enhanced postinvasion resistance to powdery mildew in Arabidopsis thaliana. Genetic and transcriptome analyses and hormone profiling demonstrated that ECH loss resulted in salicylic acid (SA) hyperaccumulation via the ISOCHORISMATE SYNTHASE 1 biosynthesis pathway, thereby constitutively activating SA-dependent innate immunity that was largely responsible for the enhanced postinvasion resistance. Furthermore, the ech mutant displayed accelerated SA-independent spontaneous cell death and constitutive POWDERY MILDEW RESISTANCE 4-mediated callose depositions. In addition, ECH loss led to a chronically prolonged endoplasmic reticulum stress in the ech mutant. These results provide insights into understanding the role of TGN components in the regulation of plant immunity and stress responses.

Published in

Plant Physiology
2023, volume: 191, number: 1, pages: 558-574
Publisher: OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC

SLU Authors

• Bhalerao, Rishikesh P.

  • Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Associated SLU-program

SLU Plant Protection Network

UKÄ Subject classification

Agricultural Science

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiac400

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/119018