Identification of the VvFLS2 grapevine flagellin receptor by a functional genomics strategy

Abstract: Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) emerge as important components of plant disease resistance in plants. PRRs mediate detection of potential pathogens via the perception of pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). A well-studied PRR is the Arabidopsis leucine-rich repeat receptor kinase (LRR-RK) FLS2 that recognizes bacterial flagellin. Until now, functional FLS2 orthologues have been characterized in Nicotiana benthamiana, rice and tomato. We have shown that flg22 triggers a battery of defense responses and induces partial resistance to a necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea. The putative grapevine FLS2 orthologue, designated as VvFLS2, was identified by an in silico approach and its functionality was demonstrated by complementation of the Arabidopsis fls2c null mutant. In parallel, a silencing approach in grapevine was developed to obtain stable transgenic lines silenced in VvFLS2.