A wheat tandem kinase sensor activates an NLR helper to trigger immunity

Renjie Chen; Jian Chen; Oliver R. Powell; Megan A. Outram; Taj Arndell; Karthick Gajendiran; Yan L. Wang; Jibril Lubega; Yang Xu; Michael Ayliffe; Cheryl Blundell; Melania Figueroa; Jana Sperschneider; Thomas Vanhercke; K. Kanyuka; Dingzhong Tang; Guitao Zhong; Catherine Gardener; Guotai Yu; Spyridon Gourdoupis; Łukasz Jaremko; Oadi Matny; Brian Joel Steffenson; Willem H. P. Boshoff; Wilku B. Meyer; Stefan T. Arold; Peter N. Dodds; Brande B. H. Wulff

doi:10.1126/science.adp5034

Plant BiologyScienceMar 27, 2025

Peer-reviewed journal article

A wheat tandem kinase sensor activates an NLR helper to trigger immunity

Renjie Chen iD, Jian Chen iD, Oliver R. Powell iD, Megan A. Outram iD, Taj Arndell iD, Karthick Gajendiran iD, Yan L. Wang iD, Jibril Lubega, Yang Xu iD, Michael Ayliffe iD, Cheryl Blundell, Melania Figueroa iD, Jana Sperschneider iD, Thomas Vanhercke iD, K. Kanyuka iD, Dingzhong Tang iD, Guitao Zhong iD, Catherine Gardener iD, Guotai Yu iD, Spyridon Gourdoupis iD, Łukasz Jaremko iD, Oadi Matny iD, Brian Joel Steffenson iD, Willem H. P. Boshoff iD, Wilku B. Meyer iD, , Brande B. H. Wulff iD

Abstract

Most plant resistance genes encode membrane-anchored receptor-like proteins or intracellular nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat (NLR) receptors. In wheat and barley, tandem kinases (TKs) have emerged as a new class of resistance determinants. To understand the modus operandi of the wheat stem rust resistance protein Sr62TK, we identified two genetic interactors-- a host gene required for Sr62TK function and the corresponding fungal AvrSr62 effector. We discovered that the SR62 locus consists of a digenic module encoding Sr62TK and an NLR (Sr62NLR). AvrSr62 binds to the N-terminal kinase of Sr62TK. This triggers displacement of the C-terminal kinase allowing it to recruit Sr62NLR for activation of immune responses. Understanding the mechanism of this two-component resistance complex will help engineering and breeding for durable resistance.

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