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ABSTRACT
Plants express an array of receptor-like kinases (RLKs) to control development and communicate with their environment. Many RLKs are uncharacterized and some of them are expected to regulate plant responses to plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). Despite documented effects induced by Caulobacter RHG1, the underlying signaling pathways and the involved RLKs remain uncharted. Through a targeted RLK mutant screening, we aimed to decipher the receptors that steer the Caulobacter RHG1-induced growth promotion in Arabidopsis thaliana. We identified four RLKs that are pivotal in the RHG1-Arabidopsis interaction, including the coreceptors SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE 1 (SERK1) and BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 1-ASSOCIATED KINASE 1 (BAK1/SERK3), which act redundantly in the RHG1-Arabidopsis interaction, possibly by interplaying with the unknown RLK AT3G28040 and the immunity-related ELONGATION FACTOR-TU RECEPTOR (EFR). These results shed new light on the molecular dynamics orchestrating plant responses to PGPR, and concurrently contribute a crucial piece to the intricate puzzle of RLK interactions.
Key policy highlights
Four RLKs; BAK1, SERK1, EFR, and AT3G28040 (RRHG) are involved in the RHG1-Arabidopsis interaction.
BAK1 and SERK1, two well-described co-receptors, act redundantly and play a pivotal role in the RHG1-driven growth promotion, possibly by interplaying with the unknown RLK AT3G28040 and the immunity-related RLK EFR.
Most known development – and immunity-related RLKs barely influence RHG1-driven plant growth promotion in Arabidopsis.
Acknowledgements
We thank Annick De Keyser for technical advice during the experiments and Annick Bleys for critically reading and helping in preparing the manuscript.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Author contributions
A.L. designed, performed and analyzed the experiments. A.L. together with M.V. wrote and revised the manuscript and made the figures. Guided by A.L., M.B. and V.D. performed part of the mutant assays. J.V.D. provided suggestions during writing. A.L., K.G. and S.G. coordinated the research.
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Amber Lampens
Amber Lampens obtained her Master degree Biochemistry and Biotechnology in 2017 and moved on to pursue a PhD degree in the Goormachtig lab, which she obtained in 2022.
Michiel Vandecasteele
Michiel Vandecasteele his PhD degree in Bioscience Engineering in 2019. Now he is a postdoc in the Goormachtig lab.
Marjon Braem
Marjon Braem obtained her master's degree in biology in 2021. Now, she performs her PhD study in the Goormachtig lab.
Viktor Devlieghere
Viktor Devlieghere obtained his Biochemistry and Biotechnology Master's degree in 2022. Now he pursues a PhD degree at ILVO.
Judith Van Dingenen
Judith Van Dingenen obtained her PhD in Plant Biotechnology in 2016 after which she performed a postdoc study in the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology at Potsdam, Germany. Now she is a postdoc in the Goormachtig lab.
Kris Gevaert
Kris Gevaert became UGent professor in 2004 and leads the proteomics lab at the VIB Center for Medical Biotechnology. In 2018, he became head of the UGent department of Biomolecular Medicine.
Sofie Goormachtig
Sofie Goormachtig became professor at UGent in 2005 and full professor in 2017. She leads the Rhizosphere lab at VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology and contributed to the start-up of VIB spin-off companies Protealis and Aphea. Bio. Since 2023, she became adjunct director of VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology.