Open AccessAvrPtoB: A bacterial type III effector that both elicits and suppresses programmed cell death associated with plant immunity
Author(s) -
Abramovitch Robert B.,
Martin Gregory B.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1016/j.femsle.2005.02.025
Subject(s) - pseudomonas syringae , effector , plant immunity , arabidopsis , immunity , biology , programmed cell death , type three secretion system , microbiology and biotechnology , plant defense against herbivory , secretion , hypersensitive response , virulence , pathogen , gene , immune system , biochemistry , immunology , apoptosis , mutant
Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 is a model pathogen for studying the molecular basis of plant immunity and disease susceptibility in tomato and Arabidopsis . DC3000 uses a type III secretion system to inject effector proteins into the plant cell. Type III effectors are thought to promote bacterial virulence by suppressing plant defenses and enhancing access to nutrients trapped in the plant cell. The AvrPtoB type III effector elicits immunity‐associated programmed cell death (PCD) when expressed in tomato plants carrying the Pto resistance protein. However, in the absence of Pto, AvrPtoB functions to suppress PCD and immunity in tomato. Here, we review current research examining the molecular basis of AvrPtoB‐mediated elicitation and suppression of plant PCD. In addition, the “trump model” is proposed to explain how resistance proteins successfully elicit immunity‐associated PCD in response to effectors that suppress PCD.