Anion channel SLAH3 is a regulatory target of chitin receptor-associated kinase PBL27 in microbial stomatal closure.

In plants, antimicrobial immune responses involve the cellular release of anions and are responsible for the closure of stomatal pores. Detection of microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) induces currents mediated via slow-type (S-type) anion channels by a yet not understood mechanism. Here, we show that stomatal closure to fungal chitin is conferred by the major PRRs for chitin recognition, LYK5 and CERK1, the receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase PBL27, and the SLAH3 anion channel.

Regulation of pattern recognition receptor signalling by phosphorylation and ubiquitination.

Our understanding of how plant innate immunity is triggered and regulated has seen tremendous progress over the last decade, with many important players identified in the model systems Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa (rice). Identification of these components has come from both genetic screens as well as from proteomics approaches. While genetic approaches are powerful tools of discovery to identify key components in a signalling pathway, the application of genetics is limited when dealing with redundancy or when mutations cause lethal phenotypes.

Plants get on PAR with poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation.

Poly(ADP‐ribosyl)ation, or PARylation, was first described over 50 years ago. Since then, our understanding of the biochemistry and enzymology of this protein modification has significantly progressed. PARylation has long been associated with DNA damage and DNA repair as well as genotoxic stress 1, 2.