Dynamic and Coordinated Expression Changes of Rice Small RNAs in Response to Xanthomonas oryzae pv.oryzae

Endogenous small RNAs are newly identified players in plant immune responses, yet their roles in rice （Oryza sativa） responding to pathogens are still less understood, especially for pathogens that can cause severe yield losses. We examined the small RNA expression profiles of rice leaves at 2, 6, 12, and 24 hours post infection ofXanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae （Xoo） virulent strain PXO99, the causal agent of rice bacterial blight disease. Dynamic expression changes of some miRNAs and trans-acting siRNAs were identified, together with a few novel miRNA targets, including an RLK gene targeted by osa-miR159a. 1. Coordinated expression changes were observed among some small RNAs in response to Xoo infection, with small RNAs exhibiting the same expression pattern tended to regulate genes in the same or related signaling pathways, including auxin and GA signaling pathways, nutrition and defense-related pathways. These findings reveal the dynamic and complex roles of small RNAs in rice-Xoo interactions, and identify new targets for regulating plant responses to Xoo.

Paladin, a tyrosine phosphatase-like protein, is required for XA21-mediated immunity in rice

XA21 encodes a rice immune receptor that confers robust resistance to most strains of the Gram-negative bacterium Xanthomonas oryzae pv.oryzae(Xoo).XA21-mediated immunity is triggered by recognition of a small protein called RaxX-sY(required for activation of XA21-mediated immunity X,tyrosine-sulfated)secreted by Xoo.To identify components regulating XA21-mediated immunity,we generated and screened a mutant population of fast-neutron-mutagenized rice expressing Ubi:Myc-XA21 for those susceptible to Xoo.Here,we report the characterization of one of these rice mutants,named sxi2(suppressor of XA21-mediated immunity-2).Whole-genome sequencing revealed that sxi2 carries a deletion of the PALADIN(PALD)gene encoding a protein with three putative protein tyrosine phosphatase-like domains(PTP-A,-B,and-C).Expression of PALD in the sxi2 genetic background was sufficient to complement the susceptible phenotype,which requires the catalytic cysteine of the PTP-A active site to restore resistance.PALD coimmunoprecipitated with the full-length XA21 protein,whose levels are positively regulated by the presence of the PALD transgene.Furthermore,we foundd that sxi2 retains many hallmarks of XA21-mediated immunity,similar to the wild type.These results reveal that PALD,a previously uncharacterized class of phosphatase,functions in rice innate immunity,and suggest that the conserved cysteine in the PTP-A domain of PALD is required for its immune function.