Oomycete RXLR effectors: delivery, functional redundancy and durable disease resistance

Paul RJ Birch*, Petra C. Boevink, Eleanor M. Gilroy, Ingo Hein, Leighton Pritchard, Stephen C. Whisson

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

140 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

To manipulate host defences, plant pathogenic oomycetes secrete and translocate RXLR effectors into plant cells. Recent reports have indicated that RXLR effectors are translocated from the extrahaustorial matrix during the biotrophic phase of infection and that they are able to suppress PAMP-triggered immunity. Oomycete genomes contain potentially hundreds of highly diverse RXLR effector genes, providing the potential for considerable functional redundancy and the consequent ability to readily shed effectors that are recognised by plant surveillance systems without compromising pathogenic fitness. Understanding how these effectors are translocated, their precise roles in virulence, and the extent to which functional redundancy exists in oomycete RXLR effector complements, are major challenges for the coming years.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)373-379
Number of pages7
JournalCurrent Opinion in Plant Biology
Volume11
Issue number4
Early online date27 May 2008
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Aug 2008

Funding

Work conducted in PB's Laboratory is supported by the Scottish Rural and Environmental Research and Analysis Directorate, EU FP6 Bioexploit, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

Keywords

  • pathogens
  • RXLR effectors
  • plant pathogens
  • oomycete effector proteins

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