PREreviews of “Cysteine-rich receptor-like kinases mediate Wall Teichoic Acid perception in Arabidopsis”

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Cysteine-rich receptor-like kinases mediate Wall Teichoic Acid perception in Arabidopsis

by L. Pierdzig, C. Seinsche, S. Kalla, S. Armiento, L.M. Schulz, J. Rismondo, A. Molinaro, C. De Castro, E.K. Petutschnig, and V. Lipka

Posted: September 21, 2025
Server: bioRxiv
DOI: 10.1101/2025.09.18.677107

Abstract

Plants and animals detect microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) to initiate defense responses. Both lineages employ pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), yet plant mechanisms for sensing Gram-positive bacterial MAMPs remain poorly understood. Wall teichoic acids (WTAs), anionic glycopolymers unique to Gram-positive bacteria, are shown here to activate salicylic acid signaling, defense priming, and a non-canonical programmed cell death in Arabidopsis. We demonstrate that glycosylated WTAs from diverse Gram-positive species elicit these responses and provide genetic evidence that their recognition depends on two members of the plant-specific CYSTEINE-RICH RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE (CRK) gene family, which is absent in animals and whose function remains elusive. These findings reveal WTAs as a novel class of MAMPs in plants and highlight CRKs as key components in their perception.

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PREreview by Mauricio P. Contreras et al.

Authored by Mauricio P. Contreras, Raphael Schaal, Frank David Vogt, and 11 other authors

Pierdzig et al. report the identification of wall teichoic acids (WTAs) from Gram-positive bacteria as microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) perceived by the Arabidopsis cysteine-rich receptor kinase CRK7. Through an impressive forward genetic screen combined with biochemical…

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PREreviews of Cysteine-rich receptor-like kinases mediate Wall Teichoic Acid perception in Arabidopsis

1 PREreview