An NLR paralog Pit2 generated from tandem duplication of Pit1 fine-tunes Pit1 localization and function

Yuying Li, Qiong Wang, Huimin Jia, Kazuya Ishikawa, Ken Ichi Kosami, Takahiro Ueba, Atsumi Tsujimoto, Miki Yamanaka, Yasuyuki Yabumoto, Daisuke Miki, Eriko Sasaki, Yoichiro Fukao, Masayuki Fujiwara, Takako Kaneko-Kawano, Li Tan, Chojiro Kojima, Rod A. Wing, Alfino Sebastian, Hideki Nishimura, Fumi FukadaQingfeng Niu, Motoki Shimizu, Kentaro Yoshida, Ryohei Terauchi, Ko Shimamoto, Yoji Kawano

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

NLR family proteins act as intracellular receptors. Gene duplication amplifies the number of NLR genes, and subsequent mutations occasionally provide modifications to the second gene that benefits immunity. However, evolutionary processes after gene duplication and functional relationships between duplicated NLRs remain largely unclear. Here, we report that the rice NLR protein Pit1 is associated with its paralogue Pit2. The two are required for the resistance to rice blast fungus but have different functions: Pit1 induces cell death, while Pit2 competitively suppresses Pit1-mediated cell death. During evolution, the suppression of Pit1 by Pit2 was probably generated through positive selection on two fate-determining residues in the NB-ARC domain of Pit2, which account for functional differences between Pit1 and Pit2. Consequently, Pit2 lost its plasma membrane localization but acquired a new function to interfere with Pit1 in the cytosol. These findings illuminate the evolutionary trajectory of tandemly duplicated NLR genes after gene duplication.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number4610
JournalNature communications
Volume15
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2024

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Chemistry
  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • General Physics and Astronomy

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'An NLR paralog Pit2 generated from tandem duplication of Pit1 fine-tunes Pit1 localization and function'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this