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Poster

Session: Session 1 Presenting Authors at Posters (Odds)

P-357 - Condensing plant immunity: a novel immune regulator linking transcription and condensates

Monday, July 14, 2025
13:30 - 15:15  
Location: Confex Hall 3
Subcellular dynamics and signaling in host-microbe interactions

Plants have evolved immune systems to detect and respond to pathogens, often mediated by jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA). However, additional mechanisms remain to be uncovered. We identified TIFY8 as a potential key regulator of immunity in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), with mutant plants exhibiting increased susceptibility to pathogens. To identify downstream regulators, bulk RNA sequencing followed by motif enrichment analysis in wild-type and knockout plants, infected with Pseudomonas syringae, revealed WRKY transcription factors as potential downstream regulators. To investigate upstream regulators, TurboID-based proximity labeling (TurboID-PL) and affinity purification mass-spectrometry (AP-MS) were performed with TIFY8 as a bait. Along with microscopy studies, these suggest regulation by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). Furthermore, we identified a RING protein as a potential regulator of TIFY8 condensation. Currently, confocal microscopy is being used to study its involvement in condensation, as well as immune elicitor effects on condensate dynamics. Notably, JA and SA treatments did not affect TIFY8 activity, suggesting a hormone-independent defense function. These findings reveal a new immune regulatory mechanism and provide insights into plant-pathogen interactions beyond canonical hormonal pathways, which could inspire strategies to develop stress-resilient crops with improved quality and yield, benefiting both agriculture and society.