Innate sensing of glucans in plant roots and its importance in shaping host associations with fungi
A. ZUCCARO (1), S. Wawra (1), P. Fesel (1) (1) CEPLAS, University of Cologne, Germany

To protect and defend from microbial invaders but also to establish the symbiotic program, plants need to detect the presence of the microbe by membrane proteins termed pattern recognition receptors (PRR’s) which perceive molecular signatures characteristic of a whole class of microbes, termed microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs). MAMPs are usually slowly evolving components of microbes with crucial biological functions that are not present in the host and are normally exposed and thus accessible for the plant cell-surface receptor proteins. Cell-surface glycans (polysaccharides) and glycan-binding proteins such as lectins and lectin receptors regulate many of the recognition and signalling processes throughout host-microbe interactions and immune responses. Surface exposed glycans and glycan-binding proteins reside at the key interface between host and microbe and are well-characterized factors that orchestrate host immunity following microbial exposure in animal systems. Several bacterial MAMPs have been identified and their corresponding plant receptors characterized in the past years, including glycoconjugates, such as lipopolysaccharides and peptidoglycan. Other glycoconjugates such as bacterial extracellular polysaccharides and cyclic glucan have been shown to suppress innate immune responses, thus conversely promoting pathogenesis and symbiosis. On the other hand, glycans and their interactions with other biomolecules in plant-fungal systems are still largely unexplored. To date, few historical studies have focused on the role of fungal-derived glycan MAMPs other than chitin, highlighting the gap that exist and need to be filled. We will present recent advance in cell-surface glycans at the plant-fungus interface and the corresponding glycan-binding proteins and receptors, focusing primarily on glucan-mediated plant root immune activation and suppression.


Abstract Number: C13-2
Session Type: Concurrent