Necrosis and ethylene-inducing-like peptide patterns from crop pathogens induce differential responses within seven brassicaceous species.

Translational research is required to advance fundamental knowledge on plant immunity towards application in crop improvement. Recognition of microbe/pathogen-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs/PAMPs) triggers a first layer of immunity in plants. The broadly occurring family of necrosis- and ethylene-inducing peptide 1 (NEP1)-like proteins (NLPs) contains immunogenic peptide patterns that are recognized by a number of plant species. can recognize NLPs by the pattern recognition receptor AtRLP23 and its co-receptors SOBIR1, BAK1, and BKK1, leading to induction of defence responses including the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and elevation of intracellular [Ca]. However, little is known about NLP perception in crop species. Within 12 diverse accessions for each of six crop species, we demonstrate variation in response to NLP BcNEP2, with (CC genome) being nonresponsive and only two cultivars responding to BcNEP2. Peptides derived from four fungal pathogens of these crop species elicited responses similar to BcNEP2 in . and . Induction of ROS by NLP peptides was strongly reduced in , and mutants, confirming that recognition of pathogen NLPs occurs in a similar manner to that of HaNLP3 from in . In silico analysis of the genomes of two . accessions showed similar presence of homologues for , and but variation in the organization of homologues. We could not detect a strong correlation between the ability to respond to NLP peptides and resistance to . .