{
  "abstract": "FLS2-mediated perception of the bacterial flagellin epitope flg22 is frequently compromised by pathogen sequence variation, and Val14-containing Xanthomonas flg22 variants remain unrecognized by multiple characterized expanded-recognition FLS2 homologues. Using AlphaFold 3-based structural screening of 256 natural FLS2 homologues against the flg22 epitope from Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (flg22Xcc), we identified sunflower HaFLS2-1 as the top structural candidate and experimentally validated its recognition through biochemical and immune-response assays. We then used ligand-proximal HaFLS2-1 residue states as a donor reference for iterative engineering of divergent FLS2 homologues from two distinct plant families, PsFLS2 and TjFLS2. Distinct recipient-specific residue solutions emerged in the two backgrounds, and representative functional variants carrying ten or fewer amino-acid substitutions acquired flg22Xcc recognition. Together, these results show that, for this defined flg22Xcc escape challenge, AF3-guided discovery and iterative local sequence exploration can reconstruct recognition across divergent FLS2 scaffolds through a limited number of receptor substitutions.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Nanjing Forestry University"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 3,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "L. Zhong"
    },
    {
      "name": "L. Wu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Q. Cheng"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5gyyzmq5g9ra6.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.10.07.757162",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.07.757162v1.full",
  "id": "5gyyzmq5g9ra6",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.07.757162v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "plant biology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1110|Plant-Microbe Interactions and Immunity"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7220904802",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.07.757162v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-07",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5gyyzmq5g9ra6.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:26:35Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.10.07.757162",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.07.757162v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:plant biology",
      "subfield": "plant-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "A sunflower FLS2 guides reconstruction of recognition of a Xanthomonas flg22 escape variant across divergent FLS2 receptors",
  "title_text": "A sunflower FLS2 guides reconstruction of recognition of a Xanthomonas flg22 escape variant across divergent FLS2 receptors",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:26:35Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5gyyzmq5g9ra6",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}