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. 2012 Jul 24:3:169.
doi: 10.3389/fpls.2012.00169. eCollection 2012.

MAP Kinase Cascades in Arabidopsis Innate Immunity

Magnus W Rasmussen  1 , Milena Roux, Morten Petersen, John Mundy
Affiliations

MAP Kinase Cascades in Arabidopsis Innate Immunity

Magnus W Rasmussen et al. Front Plant Sci. .

Abstract

Plant mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades generally transduce extracellular stimuli into cellular responses. These stimuli include the perception of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) by host transmembrane pattern recognition receptors which trigger MAPK-dependent innate immune responses. In the model Arabidopsis, molecular genetic evidence implicates a number of MAPK cascade components in PAMP signaling, and in responses to immunity-related phytohormones such as ethylene, jasmonate, and salicylate. In a few cases, cascade components have been directly linked to the transcription of target genes or to the regulation of phytohormone synthesis. Thus MAPKs are obvious targets for bacterial effector proteins and are likely guardees of resistance proteins, which mediate defense signaling in response to the action of effectors, or effector-triggered immunity. This mini-review discusses recent progress in this field with a focus on the Arabidopsis MAPKs MPK3, MPK4, MPK6, and MPK11 in their apparent pathways.

Keywords: MAP kinase cascade; MAP kinase substrates; calcium signaling; hypersensitive response; pathogen effectors; pattern recognition receptors; reactive oxygen species; resistance proteins.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
(A) MAPK signaling cascades are attractive targets for bacterial effectors. The P. syringae HopAI1 effector irreversibly inactivates MPK4 to prevent immune responses. The R protein SUMM2 may guard processes downstream of MPK4 independent from MKS1, and triggers a hypersensitive response in the event of loss or inactivation of MPK4. (B) PAMP perception by PRRs instigates a signaling cascade, often via co-receptors, which causes activation of MAP3K MEKK1 and two MAP2Ks MKK1 and MKK2. These phosphorylate and activate MPK4 which then phosphorylates its substrate MKS1, releasing MKS1 in complex with WRKY33. MPK3/MPK6 sequentially phosphorylate WRKY33 allowing it to promote PAD3 transcription, thus activating plant defense.
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