The war for apoplastic water: stomatal control as a key strategy in bacterial pathogenesis

Abstract

In this commentary, important recent discoveries on effector-mediated manipulation of apoplast hydration and the involvement of ABA machinery that are targeted in later stages of bacterial infection culminating in stomatal closure are highlighted. This article also sheds light on the differences in early and later stages of infection wherein the COR signaling in the initial phase promotes stomatal opening while in later stages ABA signaling overrides and forces the stomata to close. Also, the current understanding of pathogen-driven modulation of leaf water status during infection, in which stomata act as a crucial battleground between pathogens and plants at the post-invasive stage is summarized.