Ergosterol-induced immune response in barley involves phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol phosphate metabolic enzymes and activation of diterpene biosynthesis.

Lipids play crucial roles in plant-microbe interactions, functioning as structural components, signaling molecules, and microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs). However, the mechanisms underlying lipid perception and signaling in plants remain largely unknown. Here, we investigate the immune responses activated in barley (Hordeum vulgare) by lipid extracts from the beneficial root endophytic fungus Serendipita indica and compare them to responses elicited by chitohexaose and the fungal sterol ergosterol.