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Early signaling through the Arabidopsis pattern recognition receptors FLS2 and EFR involves Ca2+-associated opening of plasma membrane anion channels

  1. Elena Jeworutzki1,
  2. M. Rob G. Roelfsema1,
  3. Uta Anschütz1,
  4. Elzbieta Krol1,
  5. J. Theo M. Elzenga2,
  6. Georg Felix3,
  7. Thomas Boller4,
  8. Rainer Hedrich1,
  9. Dirk Becker1,*

Article first published online: 25 JAN 2010

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-313X.2010.04155.x

Issue

The Plant Journal

The Plant Journal

Volume 62, Issue 3, pages 367–378, May 2010

Additional Information

How to Cite

Jeworutzki, E., Roelfsema, M. R. G., Anschütz, U., Krol, E., Elzenga, J. T. M., Felix, G., Boller, T., Hedrich, R. and Becker, D. (2010), Early signaling through the Arabidopsis pattern recognition receptors FLS2 and EFR involves Ca2+-associated opening of plasma membrane anion channels. The Plant Journal, 62: 367–378. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-313X.2010.04155.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Julius-von-Sachs Institute of Biosciences, Molecular Plant Physiology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Julius-von-Sachs-Platz 2, 97082 Würzburg, Germany

  2. 2

    Department of Plant Biology, University of Groningen, PO Box 14, 9750 AA Haren, the Netherlands

  3. 3

    Institute of Plant Biochemistry, ZMBP, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany

  4. 4

    Botanical Institute, University of Basel, Zürich-Basel Plant Science Center, Hebelstrasse 1, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland

* For correspondence (fax +49 931 31 86108; e-mail dbecker@botanik.uni-wuerzburg.de).

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 16 APR 2010
  2. Article first published online: 25 JAN 2010
  3. Received 28 September 2009; revised 23 December 2009; accepted 12 January 2010; published online 8 March 2010.

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Keywords:

  • innate immunity;
  • flagellin;
  • calcium;
  • ion channels;
  • anions

Summary

The perception of microbes by plants involves highly conserved molecular signatures that are absent from the host and that are collectively referred to as microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs). The Arabidopsis pattern recognition receptors FLAGELLIN-SENSING 2 (FLS2) and EF-Tu receptor (EFR) represent genetically well studied paradigms that mediate defense against bacterial pathogens. Stimulation of these receptors through their cognate ligands, bacterial flagellin or bacterial elongation factor Tu, leads to a defense response and ultimately to increased resistance. However, little is known about the early signaling pathway of these receptors. Here, we characterize this early response in situ, using an electrophysiological approach. In line with a release of negatively charged molecules, voltage recordings of microelectrode-impaled mesophyll cells and root hairs of Col-0 Arabidopsis plants revealed rapid, dose-dependent membrane potential depolarizations in response to either flg22 or elf18. Using ion-selective microelectrodes, pronounced anion currents were recorded upon application of flg22 and elf18, indicating that the signaling cascades initiated by each of the two receptors converge on the same plasma membrane ion channels. Combined calcium imaging and electrophysiological measurements revealed that the depolarization was superimposed by an increase in cytosolic calcium that was indispensable for depolarization. NADPH oxidase mutants were still depolarized upon elicitor stimulation, suggesting a reactive oxygen species-independent membrane potential response. Furthermore, electrical signaling in response to either flg22 or elf 18 critically depends on the activity of the FLS2-associated receptor-like kinase BAK1, suggesting that activation of FLS2 and EFR lead to BAK1-dependent, calcium-associated plasma membrane anion channel opening as an initial step in the pathogen defense pathway.

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