TIR domains of plant immune receptors are 2′,3′-cAMP/cGMP synthetases mediating cell death

Abstract

SUMMARY2′,3′-cAMP is a positional isomer of the well-established second messenger 3′,5′-cAMP, but little is known on the biology of this noncanonical cyclic nucleotide monophosphate (cNMP). Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) domains of nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) immune receptors have NADase function necessary but insufficient to activate plant immune responses. Here we show that plant TIR proteins, besides being NADases, act as 2′,3′-cAMP/cGMP synthetases by hydrolyzing RNA/DNA. Structural data shows that a TIR domain adopts distinct oligomers with dual and exclusive enzymatic activity. Mutations specifically disrupting the synthetase activity abrogate TIR-mediated cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana, supporting an important role for these cNMPs in TIR signaling. Furthermore, the Arabidopsis negative regulator of TIR-NLR signaling, NUDT7 displays 2′,3′-cAMP/cGMP but not 3′,5′-cAMP/cGMP phosphodiesterase activity and suppresses cell death activity of TIRs in N. benthamiana. Our study identifies a novel family of 2′,3′-cAMP/cGMP synthetase and establishes a role for the noncanonical cNMPs in plant immune responses.