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Poster

Session: Session 1 Presenting Authors at Posters (Evens)

P-136 - A membrane-anchored papain-like cysteine protease inhibitor from Pseudomonas promotes root colonization

Tuesday, July 15, 2025
09:55 - 11:30  
Location: Confex Hall 3
Microbial infection strategies (pathogens & non-pathogens)

    Presenting Author(s)

  • JM

    Johana Misas Villamil

    University of Cologne
    Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

    • Author(s)

  • DM

    Daniel Moser

    University of Cologne
    Koeln, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

  • NS

    Nina Solia

    University of Cologne
    Köln, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

  • CK

    Christian-Frederic Kaiser

    Institute for Cell and Interaction Biology, Heinrich Heine University of Duesseldorf
    Duesseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

  • LR

    Lioba Rüger

    Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding
    Köln, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

  • PK

    Parisa Kakanj

    University of Cologne
    Köln, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

  • LH

    Lucie Hansen

    University of Cologne
    Köln, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

  • GG

    Guido Grossmann

    Prof. Dr.
    Heinrich-Heine-Universitaet Duesseldorf- ICIB
    Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

  • TA

    Tonni Andersen

    Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding
    Köln, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

  • GD

    Gunther Doehlemann

    Professor
    University of Cologne
    Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

Papain-like cysteine proteases (PLCPs) are hubs in plant immunity, targeted by pathogen effectors due to their ability to release microbe- and damage-associated molecular patterns. While their role in activating salicylic acid (SA)-mediated defense responses in maize leaves is well-documented, their function in root-bacterial interactions remains unexplored. We hypothesize that non-pathogenic bacteria modulate root immunity by inhibiting SA-associated PLCPs. Pseudomonas species exhibit diverse lifestyles. The pathogen P. syringae pv. tomato produces a chagasin-like inhibitor, Cip1, which enhances virulence on tomato by inhibiting PLCPs. Cip1 is a conserved lipoprotein in Pseudomonads, including P. putida, a prominent root-associated commensal. Fluorescent microscopy and biochemical assays confirmed Cip1’s surface localization on P. putida. Moreover, Cip1 influences the composition of a maize synthetic community (SynCom), particularly at early colonization stages, where Cip1-deficient P. putida mutants show reduced colonization. In Arabidopsis roots, Cip1 promotes early colonization in the meristematic and elongation zones. Our findings suggest that Cip1 may protect bacterial surface proteins from proteolytic degradation by inhibiting plant PLCPs, potentially preventing the release of MAMPs that could trigger immune responses and hinder bacterial colonization. Alternatively, Cip1 could act as a public good, benefiting microbial colonization by modulating plant immunity.