Function, Discovery, and Exploitation of Plant Pattern Recognition Receptors for Broad-Spectrum Disease Resistance

Plants are constantly exposed to would-be pathogens and pests, and thus have a sophisticated immune system to ward off these threats, which otherwise can have devastating ecological and economic consequences on ecosystems and agriculture. Plants employ receptor kinases (RKs) and receptor-like proteins (RLPs) as pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) to monitor their apoplastic environment and detect non-self and damaged-self patterns as signs of potential danger. Plant PRRs contribute to both basal and non-host resistances, and treatment with pathogen- microbe-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs MAMPs) or damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) recognized by plant PRRs induces both local and systemic immunity. Here, we comprehensively review known PAMPs DAMPs recognized by plants as well as the plant PRRs described to date. In particular, we describe the different methods that can be used to identify PAMPs DAMPs and PRRs. Finally, we emphasize the emerging biotechnological potential use of PRRs to improve broad-spectrum, and potentially durable, disease resistance in crops.