Endogenous RALF peptide function is required for powdery mildew host colonization
9 affiliations
- 1Chair of Phytopathology, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Freising, Germany
- 2Unit of Plant Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Biology I, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- 3Molecular Plant Physiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- 4Bavarian Center for Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry (BayBioMS), TUM School of Life Science, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Freising, Germany
- 5Plant Cell Biology, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Freising, Germany
- 6Leibniz-Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Halle, Germany
- 7Université Côte d’Azur, INRAE, CNRS, Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, Sophia Antipolis, France
- 8Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, Japan
- 9Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, Japan
Abstract
The receptor kinase FERONIA (FER) is a susceptibility factor for biotrophic powdery mildew fungal pathogens in Arabidopsis thaliana, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. FER is required for the perception of endogenous RAPID ALKALINIZATION FACTOR (RALF) peptides to control various aspects of plant growth, development and immunity. RALFs are either perceived by FER/LORELEI-LIKE GPI-ANCHORED PROTEIN (LLG) heterocomplexes to induce cellular responses or bind to LEUCINE-RICH REPEAT EXTENSIN (LRX) proteins as cell wall structural components. Combining genetics, cell biology and biochemistry, we found that FER's endogenous RALF ligands are necessary for full colonization success of the powdery mildew-species Erysiphe cruciferarum. We reveal that LLGs and LRXs are also powdery mildew susceptibility factors. We show that cell wall remodeling and apoplastic pH homeostasis, hallmark features of RALF function, support powdery mildew reproductive success. We provide data that RALF-dependent powdery mildew pathogenesis is partially independent of FER. Powdery mildew fungi likely do not produce RALF peptide mimics, suggesting their reliance on endogenous RALFs for successful host colonization. We propose that powdery mildew fungi require RALF-mediated modulation of apoplastic pH and pectin remodeling for successful host colonization, highlighting a new susceptibility mechanism by obligate biotrophic fungi.
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BibTeX
@article{leicher2026endogenous,
title = {{Endogenous RALF peptide function is required for powdery mildew host colonization}},
author = {Henriette Leicher and Sebastian D. Schade and Jan Hübbers and Kristina S. Munzert‐Eberlein and Genc Haljiti and David Biermann and Athanasios Makris and Xiaoxuan Zhu and Yashank Chauhan and Christina Ludwig and Marion Claudia Müller and Toshinori Kinoshita and Timo Engelsdorf and Julien Gronnier and Martina Katharina Ried and Aurélien Boisson‐Dernier and Ralph Hückelhoven and Martin Stegmann},
journal = {New Phytologist},
year = {2026},
month = may,
doi = {10.1111/nph.71282},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.71282},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Endogenous RALF peptide function is required for powdery mildew host colonization
AU - Henriette Leicher
AU - Sebastian D. Schade
AU - Jan Hübbers
AU - Kristina S. Munzert‐Eberlein
AU - Genc Haljiti
AU - David Biermann
AU - Athanasios Makris
AU - Xiaoxuan Zhu
AU - Yashank Chauhan
AU - Christina Ludwig
AU - Marion Claudia Müller
AU - Toshinori Kinoshita
AU - Timo Engelsdorf
AU - Julien Gronnier
AU - Martina Katharina Ried
AU - Aurélien Boisson‐Dernier
AU - Ralph Hückelhoven
AU - Martin Stegmann
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/05/27
JO - New Phytologist
DO - 10.1111/nph.71282
UR - https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.71282
AB - The receptor kinase FERONIA (FER) is a susceptibility factor for biotrophic powdery mildew fungal pathogens in Arabidopsis thaliana, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. FER is required for the perception of endogenous RAPID ALKALINIZATION FACTOR (RALF) peptides to control various aspects of plant growth, development and immunity. RALFs are either perceived by FER/LORELEI-LIKE GPI-ANCHORED PROTEIN (LLG) heterocomplexes to induce cellular responses or bind to LEUCINE-RICH REPEAT EXTENSIN (LRX) proteins as cell wall structural components. Combining genetics, cell biology and biochemistry, we found that FER's endogenous RALF ligands are necessary for full colonization success of the powdery mildew-species Erysiphe cruciferarum. We reveal that LLGs and LRXs are also powdery mildew susceptibility factors. We show that cell wall remodeling and apoplastic pH homeostasis, hallmark features of RALF function, support powdery mildew reproductive success. We provide data that RALF-dependent powdery mildew pathogenesis is partially independent of FER. Powdery mildew fungi likely do not produce RALF peptide mimics, suggesting their reliance on endogenous RALFs for successful host colonization. We propose that powdery mildew fungi require RALF-mediated modulation of apoplastic pH and pectin remodeling for successful host colonization, highlighting a new susceptibility mechanism by obligate biotrophic fungi.
SN - 0028-646X
SN - 1469-8137
ER -