S-Acylation of plant immune receptors mediates immune signaling in plasma membrane nanodomains

Abstract

SUMMARYS-Acylation is a reversible protein post-translational modification mediated by Protein S-acyltransferases (PATs). Here, we demonstrate that three plant immune receptors P2K1 (DORN1), FLS2 and CERK1, representing three distinct families of receptor like-kinases, are S-acylated by Arabidopsis PAT5 and PAT9 on the plasma membrane (PM). Mutations in Atpat5 and Atpat9 resulted in an elevated plant immune response, increased phosphorylation and decreased degradation of FLS2, P2K1 and CERK1 during immune signaling. Mutation of key cysteine residues S-acylated in these receptors resulted in a similar phenotype as exhibited by Atpat5/Atpat9 mutant plants. The data indicate that S-acylation also controls localization of the receptors in distinct PM nanodomains and, thereby, controls the formation of specific protein-protein interactions. Our study reveals that S-acylation plays a critical role in mediating spatiotemporal dynamics of plant receptors within PM nanodomains, suggesting a key role for this modification in regulating the ability of plants in respond to external stimuli.