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Poster

Session: Session 1 Presenting Authors at Posters (Evens)

P-036 - Functional Characterization of the receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase (RLCK)-VII-7 Subfamily in Immunity of Nicotiana benthamiana

Tuesday, July 15, 2025
09:55 - 11:30  
Location: Confex Hall 3
Extracellular & Intracellular non-self recognition & signaling

    Presenting Author(s)

  • HL

    Huan Liu, PhD

    Wageningen University and Research
    Wageningen, Gelderland, Netherlands

    • Author(s)

  • WH

    Wen R.H. Huang

    The Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL)
    Norwich, England, United Kingdom

  • CS

    Christiaan Schol

    wur
    WAGENINGEN, Gelderland, Netherlands

  • SB

    Sjef Boeren

    Wageningen University
    WAGENINGEN, Gelderland, Netherlands

  • EE

    Edouard Evangelisti

    Institut Sophia Agrobiotech (ISA)
    Sophia Antipolis, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, France

  • MJ

    Matthieu Joosten

    PI
    Wageningen University
    Wageningen, Gelderland, Netherlands

Tomato leaf mold, caused by Fulvia fulva, is mitigated by receptor-like proteins (RLPs) that recognize fungal effectors, converting these effectors into avirulence factors (Avrs). The well-characterized RLP Cf-4 specifically detects Avr4 from F. fulva. While receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs) are known to relay pathogen recognition into downstream defense signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana, their roles downstream of Cf-4 in Nicotiana benthamiana and tomato remain poorly understood. In this study, through CRISPR-Cas9-mediated knockout of multiple RLCK-VII-7 subfamily members in N. benthamiana:Cf-4, we reveal their requirement for effective immune signaling. We demonstrate that RLCK-VII-7 subfamily members are critical for Avr4/Cf-4-triggered ROS burst and the hypersensitive response (HR). Functional assays further show that RLCK-VII-7 members contribute to resistance against Phytophthora palmivora but are dispensable in responses to Botrytis cinerea. Notably, rlck-vii-7 plants exhibit increased susceptibility to F. fulva, correlating with elevated expression effectors Avr5, indicating compromised non-host resistance. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of individual RLCK-VII-7 genes, highlights their differential roles in the HR, ROS burst, and Ca²⁺ influx. In summary, our findings establish the RLCK-VII-7 subfamily as pivotal modulators of RLP-mediate immunity, with distinct roles in orchestrating signaling specificity and outcome in host and non-host resistance.