2010年10月, 北京生命科学研究所周俭民实验室在Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions杂志发表题为“FLS2, but not BAK1, is a target of the Pseudomonas syringae effector AvrPto.”的文章。
在抵御外界微生物侵染的过程中，植物细胞表面的受体激酶通过激活寄主的先天免疫来发挥重要的防御功能。而丁香假单胞菌分泌的三型效应蛋白AvrPto却能够抑制这种先天免疫，从而帮助细菌致病。周俭民实验室在2008年发表的工作表明AvrPto是通过直接攻击植物细胞表面受体激酶FLS2及EFR来实现毒性功能的。之后一篇文章报道AvrPto更有可能是攻击了FLS2的共同受体BAK1，而非FLS2。AvrPto的真实靶点因此而存在争议。本论文通过大量严格的生化试验以及遗传证据，进一步证明AvrPto在植物细胞中作用于受体激酶FLS2，而不是BAK1，澄清了争议。
北京生命科学研究所博士生向婷婷为本文的第一作者，论文的其他作者还有NIBS的张杰和宗娜博士，中科院遗传与发育所陈金锋博士生和陈明生博士等。周俭民博士为本文的通讯作者。此项研究由科技部863和北京市科委资助，在北京生命科学研究所完成。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推荐英文摘要：
Mol Plant Microbe Interact. PMID:20923364
FLS2, but not BAK1, is a target of the Pseudomonas syringae effector AvrPto.
Xiang T, Zong N, Zhang J, Chen J, Chen M, Zhou J.
Plant cell surface-localized receptor kinases such as FLS2, EFR, and CERK1 play a crucial role in detecting invading pathogenic bacteria. Upon stimulation by bacterium-derived ligands, FLS2 and EFR interact with BAK1, a receptor-like kinase, to activate immune responses. A number of Pseudomonas syringae effector proteins are known to block immune responses mediated by these receptors. Previous reports suggested that the P. syringae effector AvrPto could target both FLS2 and BAK1 to inhibit plant defenses. Here we provide new evidence further supporting that FLS2, but not BAK1, is targeted by AvrPto in plants. The AvrPto-FLS2 interaction prevented the phosphorylation of BIK1, a down-stream component of the FLS2 pathway.
