Unraveling Plant Responses to Bacterial Pathogens through Proteomics

Figure 1

When the plant encounters a microorganism, the recognition of bacterial molecular patterns (PAMPs) by plant membrane receptors (PRRs) triggers the PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI). Pathogenic bacteria overcome this defense response by injecting the type three secretion system (TTSS) proteins called effectors that promote pathogenicity. This process is called effector-triggered susceptibility (ETS) and leads to plant disease. Some plants respond to these effectors through the development of R proteins that recognize effectors and activate the so-called effector-triggered immunity (ETI). This is a response associated with a specific programmed cell death called hypersensitive response (HR) that limits pathogen growth and culminates into plant resistance. Protein samples are extracted from tissues of different plant cultivars inoculated with different bacterial strains or bacterial components that trigger the above-mentioned responses. Spots showing differential abundance compared to control treatment (circled in red in the gel picture) are then subjected to subsequent proteomic analysis to resolve response-specific plant protein signatures.