M. P. Contreras

The paper investigates the functional conservation of the NRC0 gene cluster across asterid plants and shows its role in immune responses.

A helper NLR is mutated to evade inhibition by a parasite effector, restoring disease resistance gene activity.

This study shows that sensor NLRs Rpi-amr3 and Rpi-amr1 activate the helper NLR NRC2 to form a resistosome in response to Phytophthora effectors.

The paper shows that activation of plant NLRs Rx and Bs2 leads to oligomerization of the helper NLR NRC2, suggesting a distinct activation model compared to mammalian paired NLRs.

The paper identifies NRC3 as an NLR protein required for hypersensitive cell death triggered by the PRR Cf-4 in response to the fungal effector Avr4.

The paper identifies effectors from plant pathogens that specifically target subsets of NRC immune receptor proteins, revealing convergent strategies to counteract redundant nodes in the NLR network.

The paper reconstructs the evolutionary history of rice NLR receptors Pik-1 and Pik-2, showing their HMA domain evolved convergent high-affinity binding to the fungal effector AVR-PikD.

This study identifies host processes targeted by Phytophthora infestans RXLR effectors through protein-protein interaction screens, revealing vesicle trafficking as a major effector-targeted process.