RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science Plant Immunity Research Group

Group Director: Ken Shirasu (Ph.D.)

Japanese Page

Research Summary

Our group’s ultimate goal is to fully describe functions of genes, proteins and small molecular compounds that are essential for immunity in plants. As the first step, we focus on regulatory mechanism of immunity by studying dynamics of resistance signaling complexes and protein modifications that control defense responses. In addition, we plan to identify novel genes involved in plant immunity by isolating defense mutants in model plants. We also collaborate with the Metabolomics Research Group to isolate small molecule compounds involved in disease resistance.

Main Research Fields

Biology

Related Research Fields

Agricultural Sciences

Keywords

Plant Immunity
Plant-Microbe Interactions
Genomics
Plant Chemical Biology
Signal Transduction

Selected Publications

1. Ngou, B.P.M., Wyler, M., Schmid, M. W., Kadota, Y, Shirasu, K.:
"Evolutionary trajectory of pattern recognition receptors in plants."
Nature Comm. 15: 308. (2024)
2. Goto, Y., Kadota, Y., Mbengue, M., Lewis, J.D., Matsui, H., Maki, N., Sklenar, J., et al.:
"The leucine-rich repeat receptor kinase QSK1 is a novel regulator of PRR-RBOHD complex and is employed by the bacterial effector HopF2Pto to modulate plant immunity."
Plant Cell. 36: 4932-4951. (2024)
3. Kumakura, N., Singkaravanit-Ogawa, S., Gan, P., Tsushima, A., Ishihama, N., Watanabe, S., et al.:
"Guanosine-specific single-stranded ribonuclease effectors of a phytopathogenic fungus potentiate host immune responses."
New Phytol. 242: 170-191. (2024)
4. Goto, Y., Maki, N., Sklenar, J., Derbyshire, P., Menke, F.L.H., Zipfel, C., Kadota, Y., Shirasu, K. Ngou, B.P.M., Wyler, M., Schmid, M. W., Kadota, Y, Shirasu, K.:
"The phagocytosis oxidase/Bem1p (PB1) domain-containing protein PB1CP negatively regulates the NADPH oxidase RBOHD in plant immunity."
New Phytologist. 241: 1763-1779.(2024)
5. Ogawa, S., Cui, S., White, A. R. F., Nelson, D.C., Yoshida, Y., Shirasu, K.:
"Strigolactones are chemoattractants for host tropism in Orobanchaceae parasitic plants."
Nature Comm. 13: 4653. (2022)
6. Ishihama, N., Choi, S-W., Noutoshi, Y., Saska, I., Asai, S., Takizawa, K., He., S.Y., Osada, H., Shirasu, K.:
"Oxicam-type nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit NPR1-mediated salicylic acid pathway."
Nature Comm. 12: 7303. (2021)
7. Laohavisit A, Wakatake T, Ishihama N, Mulvey H, Takizawa K, Suzuki T, Shirasu K.:
"Quinone perception in plants via leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases."
Nature 587: 92-97.　(2020)
8. Notaguchi M, Kurotani K-i, Sato Y, Tabata R, Kawakatsu Y, Okayasu K, Sawai Y, Okada R, Asahina M, Ichihashi Y, et al.:
"Cell-cell adhesion in plant grafting is facilitated by β-1,4-glucanases"
Science 369: 698-702. (2020)
9. Yoshida, S., Kim, S., Wafula, E. K., Tanskanen, J., Kim, Y. M., et al.:
"Genome sequence of Striga asiatica provides insight into the evolution of plant parasitism"
Curr. Biol. 29: 3041-3052.E4. (2020)
10. Kadota, Y., Liebrand, T. W., Goto, Y., Sklenar, J., Derbyshire, P., Menke, F. L., Torres, M., Molina, A., Zipfel, C., Coaker, G. and Shirasu, K.:
"Quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis reveals common regulatory mechanisms between effector‐ and PAMP‐triggered immunity in plants"
New Phytol. 221:2160-2175. (2019)