Immune response induction in rice due to co-expression of XopQ and XopX

Abstract

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) causes bacterial blight, a serious disease of rice. Xoo uses the type III secretion system (T3SS) to suppress rice immune responses. The T3SS secreted effectors XopQ and XopX suppress rice immune responses by interaction with different rice 14-3-3 proteins. Sub-cellular localisation of XopQ and XopX mutants that are defective in 14-3-3 binding and suppression of immune responses indicates that, for suppression, XopQ requires a cytoplasmic localisation whereas XopX requires nuclear localisation. Hence, both XopQ as well as XopX individually act as suppressors of rice immune responses, probably by targeting unique pathways in different subcellular compartments. However, we find that when XopQ is delivered through Agrobacterium along with XopX, it becomes an inducer of immune responses and that it now localizes in the nucleus. We also find that XopQ and XopX can interact with each other. This raises the possibility that besides being a suppressor of immune responses, XopQ can under certain circumstances also function as an inducer of immune responses.