The Tomato LRR-RLP CuRe1 detects molecular patterns of the parasitic plant Cuscuta reflexa
V. HEGENAUER (1), U. Fürst (1), B. Kaiser (1), M. Stahl (1), M. Albert (1), M. Smoker (2), C. Zipfel (2), G. Felix (1) (1) Eberhard Karls University of Tuebingen, Germany; (2) Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich Research Park, United Kingdom

Species of the plant genus Cuscuta from the Convolvulaceae family comprises ~200 species all of which are obligate holoparasites. They nearly infect all plants, with the notable exception of tomato (S. lycopersicum) which can actively ward off the parasite attack. Tomato responds to C. reflexa extracts with defence response typically known from the detection of microbe associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) like the production of ethylene and reactive oxygen species (ROS). In search of the parasitic defence-trigger we could isolate a small heat stable and protease sensitive peptide that we defined as “Cuscuta factor”. Obviously, this Cuscuta factor is also present in other parasitic Cuscuta species we tested. Recombinant inbred lines of the resistant S. lycopersicum and the susceptible wild tomato species S. pennellii allowed for mapping a region within the tomato genome responsible for the induction of defence-related responses by the Cuscuta factor. After transient expression of receptor candidate genes located within the mapped region we identified the LRR-RLP CuRe1 (Cuscuta Receptor 1) as the receptor initiating defence responses against Cuscuta. Stable transformation of CuRe1 into otherwise susceptible plant species led to increased resistance against Cuscuta. Our work reveals that plants recognize parasitic plants as non-self, similarly to perception of microbial or pest pathogens, and offers future opportunity to engineer resistance to parasitic plants in crops.

Abstract Number: P17-533
Session Type: Poster