Functional characterization of an apple (Malus x domestica) LysM domain receptor encoding gene for its role in defense response

•An apple gene encoding a chitin-binding receptor kinase (MdCERK1) was analyzed.•Its expression was mainly in root, leaf tissues and in response to chitin treatment.•Rhizoctonia solani infection induced genotype-specific MdCERK1 expression patterns.•Chitin binding and plasma membrane localization confirmed its functional identity.•Potential MdCERK1 interacting partners were identified by proteomic analysis. Apple gene, MD09G1111800, was identified as a chitin binding receptor-like kinase based on sequence similarity to AtCERK1 (chitin elicitor receptor kinase 1) from Arabidopsis. Sequence analysis on genomic structure, domain composition and transcriptional response to exogenous chitin treatment indicated that MD09G1111800 is an ortholog to AtCERK1 and was therefore named as MdCERK1. Tissue specific expression patterns indicated that MdCERK1 is primarily functional in vegetative tissues of leaf and root, rather than flower, fruit and seed of apple plant. The transcriptional regulation patterns in response to infection by Rhizoctonia solani demonstrated that MdCERK1 is a functional pattern recognition receptor protein (PRR) in apple root tissues. The ability of purified GST-MdCERK1 fusion protein to bind chitin molecules added biochemical evidence for its role in chitin mediated immune responses. An untargeted proteomic approach was also employed for identifying its putative in vivo interaction partners in apple root cells, and results indicated the existence of a functional receptor complex. These data support the conclusion that MdCERK1 is a chitin binding receptor kinase functioning in apple vegetative tissues, which plays an important role in defense activation in response to pathogen infection.