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The Function of Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels in Biotic Stress

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Ion Channels and Plant Stress Responses

Part of the book series: Signaling and Communication in Plants ((SIGCOMM))

Abstract

Plant cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels conduct Ca2+ across the plasma membrane (PM) and facilitate cytosolic Ca2+ elevation during pathogen response signaling cascades. Until recently, not much was known about the specific ion channels involved in Ca2+ influx into plant cells, or how Ca2+ signals are generated and impact on downstream events during pathogen resistance responses. Recent studies, involving the cyclic nucleotide gated ion channel (CNGC) family of proteins, have provided new information relevant to these two areas of plant biology and will be reviewed in this chapter. Current evidence points to specific proteins that synthesize cyclic nucleotides and that function as ligands to activate CNGCs. The role of these channels in Ca2+ conduction appears critical to the generation of the hypersensitive response to pathogens, an important defense mechanism that limits disease in plants. Signaling downstream from Ca2+ during biotic stress responses involves cytosolic Ca2+-binding proteins such as calmodulin.

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Abbreviations

AC:

Adenylyl cyclase

avr:

Avirulence

CaM:

Calmodulin

CML:

CaM-like protein

CDPK:

Ca2+-dependent protein kinase

CNBDs:

Cyclic nucleotide binding domains

CNGC:

Cyclic nucleotide gated channel

GC:

Guanylyl cyclase

HR:

Hypersensitive response

LPS:

Lipopolysaccharide

LRR-RLKs:

Leucine-rich-repeat receptor-like kinases

NC:

Nucleotidyl cyclase

NO:

Nitric oxide

NOS:

Nitric oxide synthase

PAMP:

Pathogen-associated molecular pattern

PCD:

Programmed cell death

PM:

Plasma membrane

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SA:

Salicylic acid

TM:

Transmembrane

VPE:

Vacuolar processing enzyme

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Agricultural Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Plant Science, University of Connecticut, 1390 Storrs Road, Storrs, CT, 06269-4163, USA

    Wei Ma & Gerald A. Berkowitz

  2. Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3B2

    Keiko Yoshioka

  3. Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa

    Chris Gehring

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  1. Wei Ma
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  2. Keiko Yoshioka
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  3. Chris Gehring
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  4. Gerald A. Berkowitz
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Correspondence to Gerald A. Berkowitz .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex, CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom

    Vadim Demidchik

  2. University of York, Biology Department/Area 9, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom

    Frans Maathuis

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Ma, W., Yoshioka, K., Gehring, C., Berkowitz, G.A. (2010). The Function of Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels in Biotic Stress. In: Demidchik, V., Maathuis, F. (eds) Ion Channels and Plant Stress Responses. Signaling and Communication in Plants. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-10494-7_8

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