Structural and Phylogenetic In Silico Characterization of Vitis vinifera PRR Protein as Potential Target for Plasmopara viticola Infection

Fungi infection, especially derived from <i>Plasmopara viticola</i>, causes severe grapevine economic losses worldwide. Despite the availability of chemical treatments, looking for eco-friendly ways to control <i>Vitis vinifera</i> infection is gaining much more attention. When a plant is infected, multiple disease-control molecular mechanisms are activated. PRRs (Pattern Recognition Receptors) and particularly RLKs (receptor-like kinases) take part in the first barrier of the immune system, and, as a consequence, the kinase signaling cascade is activated, resulting in an immune response. In this context, discovering new lectin-RLK (LecRLK) membrane-bounded proteins has emerged as a promising strategy. The genome-wide localization of potential LecRLKs involved in disease defense was reported in two grapevine varieties of great economic impact: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. A total of 23 potential amino acid sequences were identified, exhibiting high-sequence homology and evolution related to tandem events. Based on the domain architecture, a carbohydrate specificity ligand assay was conducted with docking, revealing two sequences as candidates for specific <i>Vitis vinifera-Plasmopara viticola</i> host-pathogen interaction. This study confers a starting point for designing new effective antifungal treatments directed at LecRLK targets in <i>Vitis vinifera</i>.