Lack of AtMC1 catalytic activity triggers autoimmunity dependent on NLR stability
Plants utilize cell surface-localized pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and intracellular nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) receptors to detect non-self and elicit robust immune responses. Fine-tuning the homeostasis of these receptors is critical to prevent their hyperactivation. Here, we show that Arabidopsis plants lacking metacaspase 1 (AtMC1) display autoimmunity dependent on immune signalling components downstream of NLR and PRR activation. Overexpression of a catalytically inactive AtMC1 in an atmc1 background triggers severe autoimmunity partially dependent on the same immune signalling components. Overexpression of the E3 ligase SNIPER1, a master regulator of NLR homeostasis, fully reverts the AtMC1-dependent autoimmunity phenotype, inferring that a broad defect in NLR turnover may underlie the severe phenotype observed. Catalytically inactive AtMC1 localizes to punctate structures that are degraded through autophagy. Considering also previous evidence on the proteostatic functions of AtMC1, we speculate that Wt AtMC1 may either directly or indirectly control NLR protein levels, thereby preventing autoimmunity.
Authors
- Núria S. Coll (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8889-0399)
- Simon Stael (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8322-0428)
- Frank Van Breusegem (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3147-0860)
- Svenja C. Saile (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2258-3166)
- Farid El Kasmi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4634-7689)
- Markus Kaiser (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6540-8520)
- Laia Armengot (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3790-9838)
- Fernando Navarrete (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1971-441X)
- Nerea Ruiz-Solaní (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0813-0956)
- Morten Petersen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3035-5991)
- Marta Salas-Gómez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1449-6142)
- Jose Salguero‐Linares (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0559-7793)
- Kris Gevaert (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4237-0283)
- Farnusch Kaschani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6572-3232)
- Marc Valls (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2312-0091)
- Lode Denolf (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1090-6343)
- Esperanza Fernández (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6674-2494)
- Jenna Krumbach
- Joel Ayet (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7470-9176)
Institutions
- University of Copenhagen (DK)
- HOGENT University of Applied Sciences and Arts (BE)
- Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (FR)
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ES)
- Ghent University Hospital (BE)
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SE)
- Ghent University (BE)
- Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (FR)
- VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology (BE)
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology (DE)
- Institut Agro Montpelier (FR)
- Services déconcentrés d'appui à la recherche Occitanie-Montpellier (FR)
- VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology (BE)
- Center for Research in Agricultural Genomics (ES)
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR)
- University of Duisburg-Essen (DE)
- Universitat de Barcelona (ES)
- University of Tübingen (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- EMBO Reports
- Published
- 2025-03-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s44319-025-00426-4
- Citations
- 4
- Primary Topic
- Plant-Microbe Interactions and Immunity
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 7.00