The BTB/POZ‐MATH Protein ZmBPM1 Interacts With Autophagy‐related Protein ZmATG6 and Modulates the NLR Protein Rp1‐D21‐Mediated Defense Response in Maize
- 1The Key Laboratory of Plant Development and Environmental Adaptation Biology Ministry of Education Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress Biology and Genetic Improvement School of Life Sciences Shandong University Qingdao Shandong China
- 2College of Life Sciences South China Agricultural University Guangzhou China
- 3State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro‐Bioresources South China Agricultural University Guangzhou China
Abstract
BTB/POZ‐MATH (BPM) proteins are key regulators to modulate the stability of their substrates via the 26S proteasome. However, their function in plant immunity, particularly in modulating the activity of nucleotide‐binding, leucine‐rich repeat (NLR) receptor, remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that maize ZmBPM1, but not its close homolog ZmBPM2, negatively regulates the autoactive NLR protein Rp1‐D21 by promoting its degradation through both the 26S proteasome and the autophagy pathways. ZmBPM1 overexpression inhibits Rp1‐D21‐mediated hypersensitive response (HR), whereas its mutation enhances the HR strength in maize. Notably, ZmBPM1 is primarily localized in the autophagosome‐like punctate structures and facilitates relocation of Rp1‐D21 from the nucleo‐cytoplasmic compartment to these punctate structures. Furthermore, ZmBPM1 promotes the degradation of Rp1‐D21 through autophagy pathway by interacting with the autophagy‐related protein ZmATG6a/ZmATG6b, therefore inhibiting Rp1‐D21‐mediated HR. Strikingly, ZmBPM1 also acts as a negative regulator of resistance against southern corn rust caused by Puccinia polysora, a fungus that appears to enhance ZmBPM1‐mediated autophagic activity. Our study thus identifies an autophagy‐dependent mechanism by which a BPM protein finely controls NLR homeostasis and plant immunity, revealing a previously unrecognized immune regulation mechanism in plants.
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BibTeX
@article{tang2026btbpozmath,
title = {{The BTB/POZ‐MATH Protein ZmBPM1 Interacts With Autophagy‐related Protein ZmATG6 and Modulates the NLR Protein Rp1‐D21‐Mediated Defense Response in Maize}},
author = {Chang‐Xiao Tang and Tong‐Tong Liu and Qi‐Dong Ge and Xiao‐Ying Liu and Wanxiao Wang and Yang Sun and Yanfei Liu and Faqiang Li and Guan‐Feng Wang},
journal = {Advanced Science},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1002/advs.77193},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.77193},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - The BTB/POZ‐MATH Protein ZmBPM1 Interacts With Autophagy‐related Protein ZmATG6 and Modulates the NLR Protein Rp1‐D21‐Mediated Defense Response in Maize
AU - Chang‐Xiao Tang
AU - Tong‐Tong Liu
AU - Qi‐Dong Ge
AU - Xiao‐Ying Liu
AU - Wanxiao Wang
AU - Yang Sun
AU - Yanfei Liu
AU - Faqiang Li
AU - Guan‐Feng Wang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/12
JO - Advanced Science
DO - 10.1002/advs.77193
UR - https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.77193
AB - BTB/POZ‐MATH (BPM) proteins are key regulators to modulate the stability of their substrates via the 26S proteasome. However, their function in plant immunity, particularly in modulating the activity of nucleotide‐binding, leucine‐rich repeat (NLR) receptor, remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that maize ZmBPM1, but not its close homolog ZmBPM2, negatively regulates the autoactive NLR protein Rp1‐D21 by promoting its degradation through both the 26S proteasome and the autophagy pathways. ZmBPM1 overexpression inhibits Rp1‐D21‐mediated hypersensitive response (HR), whereas its mutation enhances the HR strength in maize. Notably, ZmBPM1 is primarily localized in the autophagosome‐like punctate structures and facilitates relocation of Rp1‐D21 from the nucleo‐cytoplasmic compartment to these punctate structures. Furthermore, ZmBPM1 promotes the degradation of Rp1‐D21 through autophagy pathway by interacting with the autophagy‐related protein ZmATG6a/ZmATG6b, therefore inhibiting Rp1‐D21‐mediated HR. Strikingly, ZmBPM1 also acts as a negative regulator of resistance against southern corn rust caused by Puccinia polysora, a fungus that appears to enhance ZmBPM1‐mediated autophagic activity. Our study thus identifies an autophagy‐dependent mechanism by which a BPM protein finely controls NLR homeostasis and plant immunity, revealing a previously unrecognized immune regulation mechanism in plants.
SN - 2198-3844
ER -