# Leaf it to science: Uncovering plant immune systems through technological advances **Authors:** Xinnian Dong PMC · DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiaf615 · Plant Physiology · 2025-11-25 ## TL;DR This review explores the evolution of understanding plant immune systems through technological advances and aims to inspire future scientists. ## Contribution The paper emphasizes the 'whys' and 'hows' of scientific progress in plant–microbe interactions rather than a comprehensive overview. ## Key findings - The author uses technological advancements as a narrative thread to connect past and future developments in the field. - The review highlights key moments in the author's career to illustrate progress in molecular plant–microbe interactions. - The paper aims to inspire young scientists by showcasing the potential of the field. ## Abstract For the past 2 yr, I have been contemplating how best to write this review that not only reflects on a few significant and nostalgic moments in my more than 3 decades of professional career in the molecular plant–microbe interaction field, but also offers my personal outlook on the future aimed at inspiring young scientists to join this exciting discipline. Rather than a comprehensive overview, I would like to place greater emphasis on the “whys” and the “hows” than the “whats.” I finally decided to use technological advancements critical for the development of our field as a thread to connect the past with the future. ## Full-text entities - **Genes:** CAT2 (catalase 2) [NCBI Gene 829661] {aka CATALASE, T12J5.2, catalase 2}, RORC (RAR related orphan receptor C) [NCBI Gene 6097] {aka IMD42, NR1F3, RORG, RZR-GAMMA, RZRG, TOR}, ADR1-L1 (ADR1-like 1) [NCBI Gene 829466] {aka ADR1-like 1, F17M5.60, F17M5_60}, RIN4 (RPM1 interacting protein 4) [NCBI Gene 822098] {aka AtRIN4, RPM1 interacting protein 4}, NPR1 (natriuretic peptide receptor 1) [NCBI Gene 4881] {aka ANP-A, ANPRA, ANPa, GC-A, GUC2A, GUCY2A}, EIF2AK4 (eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha kinase 4) [NCBI Gene 440275] {aka GCN2, PVOD2}, EDS16 (ADC synthase superfamily protein) [NCBI Gene 843810] {aka ARABIDOPSIS ISOCHORISMATE SYNTHASE 1, ATICS1, ENHANCED DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY TO ERYSIPHE ORONTII 16, F25A4.31, ICS1, ISOCHORISMATE SYNTHASE}, NPR1 (serine/threonine protein kinase NPR1) [NCBI Gene 855538], RPM1 (NB-ARC domain-containing disease resistance protein) [NCBI Gene 819889] {aka DISEASE RESISTANCE PROTEIN RPM1, RESISTANCE TO P. SYRINGAE PV MACULICOLA 1, RESISTANCE TO PSEUDOMONAS SYRINGAE 3, RPS3}, TGA3 (transcription factor TGA3) [NCBI Gene 838812] {aka F2E2.14, F2E2_14, TGA1A-related gene 3, TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR TGA3}, RBOHD (respiratory burst oxidase homologue D) [NCBI Gene 834842] {aka ATRBOHD, MCA23.25, MCA23_25, RESPIRATORY BURST OXIDASE, respiratory burst oxidase homologue D}, NPR1 (regulatory protein (NPR1)) [NCBI Gene 842733] {aka ARABIDOPSIS NONEXPRESSER OF PR GENES 1, ATNPR1, F15H21.6, F15H21_6, NIM1, NON-INDUCIBLE IMMUNITY 1}, CUL3 (cullin 3) [NCBI Gene 839226] {aka ATCUL3, ATCUL3A, CUL3A, T24P13.25, cullin 3, cullin 3A}, TOR (target of rapamycin) [NCBI Gene 841427] {aka F2J10.19, F2J10_19, target of rapamycin}, RPP4 (Disease resistance protein (TIR-NBS-LRR class) family) [NCBI Gene 827395] {aka DL4460C, FCAALL.47, recognition of peronospora parasitica 4}, PAD4 (alpha/beta-Hydrolases superfamily protein) [NCBI Gene 824408] {aka ARABIDOPSIS PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT 4, ATPAD4, PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT 4}, CCA1 (circadian clock associated 1) [NCBI Gene 819296] {aka AtCCA1, F19D11.11, MYB-RELATED DNA BINDING PROTEIN, circadian clock associated 1}, TNFSF15 (TNF superfamily member 15) [NCBI Gene 9966] {aka TL1, TL1A, TNLG1B, VEGI, VEGI192A}, TLR4 (toll like receptor 4) [NCBI Gene 7099] {aka ARMD10, CD284, TLR-4, TOLL}, SERPINB6 (serpin family B member 6) [NCBI Gene 5269] {aka CAP, DFNB91, MSTP057, PI-6, PI6, PTI}, AOX2 (alternative oxidase 2) [NCBI Gene 836542] {aka ALTERNATIVE OXIDASE, MSJ1.5, MSJ1_5, alternative oxidase 2}, DDX3X (DEAD-box helicase 3 X-linked) [NCBI Gene 1654] {aka CAP-Rf, DBX, DDX14, DDX3, HLP2, MRX102}, EIF2A (eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2A) [NCBI Gene 83939] {aka CDA02, EIF-2A, MST089, MSTP004, MSTP089}, DDX19A (DEAD-box helicase 19A) [NCBI Gene 55308] {aka DDX19-DDX19L, DDX19L}, PR1 (pathogenesis-related protein 1) [NCBI Gene 815949] {aka ATPR1, PATHOGENESIS-RELATED GENE 1, PATHOGENESIS-RELATED PROTEIN 1, PR 1, T6B13.15, T6B13_15}, NFKB1 (nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1) [NCBI Gene 4790] {aka CVID12, EBP-1, KBF1, NF-kB, NF-kB1, NF-kappa-B1}, NPR4 (NPR1-like protein 4) [NCBI Gene 827710] {aka ATNPR4, NPR1-like protein 4, T16H5.20, T16H5_20}, ATF4 (activating transcription factor 4) [NCBI Gene 468] {aka CREB-2, CREB2, TAXREB67, TXREB}, RPS2 (NB-ARC domain-containing disease resistance protein) [NCBI Gene 828715] {aka DISEASE RESISTANCE PROTEIN RPS2, F20B18.200, F20B18_200, RESISTANT TO P. SYRINGAE 2}, EDS1 (alpha/beta-Hydrolases superfamily protein) [NCBI Gene 823964] {aka ATEDS1, EDS1 PROTEIN, enhanced disease susceptibility 1}, TCP11 (TCP family transcription factor) [NCBI Gene 830730] {aka AtTCP21, CCA1 HIKING EXPEDITION, CHE, F8L15.60, F8L15_60, TCP domain protein 11}, BGL2 (beta-1,3-glucanase 2) [NCBI Gene 824893] {aka ''beta-1, 3-GLUCANASE, 3-GLUCANASE 2, 3-glucanase 2, 3-glucanase 2'', AtBG2}, CXIP1 (CAX interacting protein 1) [NCBI Gene 824655] {aka ATGRXCP, CAX interacting protein 1, GLUTAREDOXIN}, SNC1 (TIR-NBS-LRR class disease resistance protein) [NCBI Gene 827397] {aka BAL, BALL, CONSTITUTIVE 1, DL4475C, FCAALL.51, SUPPRESSOR OF NPR1-1} - **Diseases:** infectious diseases (MESH:D003141), infection (MESH:D007239), SAR (MESH:D063730), fungal (MESH:D009181), ETI (MESH:C000722498), necrotic (MESH:D009336), resistance (MESH:D060467), PCD (MESH:D003643) - **Chemicals:** JA (MESH:C011006), AT3G25070 (-), ET (MESH:C036216), glutathione (MESH:D005978), benzothiadiazole (MESH:C015700), calcium (MESH:D002118), N (MESH:D009584), auxin (MESH:D007210), callose (MESH:C048306), 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-glucuronide (MESH:C034888), 2,6-dichloroisonicotinic acid (MESH:C077261), ROS (MESH:D017382), SA (MESH:D020156), H2O2 (MESH:D006861), cycloheximide (MESH:D003513), NADPH (MESH:D009249) - **Species:** Arabidopsis thaliana (mouse-ear cress, species) [taxon 3702], Tobacco mosaic virus (no rank) [taxon 12242], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (no rank) [taxon 323], Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly, species) [taxon 7227], Fulvia fulva (species) [taxon 5499], Nicotiana benthamiana (species) [taxon 4100], Pseudomonas syringae pv. maculicola (no rank) [taxon 59511], Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast, species) [taxon 4932], Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis (species) [taxon 272952], Pseudomonas syringae (species) [taxon 317], Oryza sativa (Asian cultivated rice, species) [taxon 4530] - **Cell lines:** BGL2 Gramene — Gorilla gorilla gorilla (Western lowland gorilla), Transformed cell line (CVCL_R799), HEK293T — Homo sapiens (Human), Transformed cell line (CVCL_0063), HEK293FT — Homo sapiens (Human), Transformed cell line (CVCL_6911) ## Full text _Full body text omitted from this summary view._ Fetch the complete paper as Markdown: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12857212/full.md ## Figures 4 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12857212/full.md ## References 160 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12857212/full.md --- Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12857212