# Dissection of Cell Death Induction by Arabidopsis thaliana CC-NBS-LRR Receptor SUT1 and Its Interacting Protein TOPP4 Mutant in Nicotiana benthamiana

**Authors:** Jianzhong Huang, Xiaoqiu Wu, Kai Chen, Zhiyong Gao

PMC · DOI: 10.3390/life16020227 · 2026-01-29

## TL;DR

This paper explores how a plant receptor and its interacting protein trigger cell death in a model plant species.

## Contribution

The study reveals the role of specific amino acid sites in the localization and function of SUT1 in plant cell death.

## Key findings

- Co-expression of SUT1 with TOPP4 mutant versions causes cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana.
- Gly2, Cys4, and Ser6 are crucial for SUT1's plasma membrane localization and function.
- Mutations in conserved residues affect SUT1's function and localization.

## Abstract

Nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat receptors (NLRs) play an important role in plant innate immunity. Previous reports indicate that SUT1 (SUPPRESSOR OF TOPP4 1) is required for the autoimmune response mediated by TYPE ONE PROTEIN PHOSPHATASE 4 (TOPP4) mutation topp4-1 (namely TOPP4T246M) in Arabidopsis. We observed that co-expression of SUT1 with TOPP4 mutant versions, instead of wild-type TOPP4, produced robust cell death in N. benthamiana. The YFP-labeled SUT1 was localized on the plasma membrane (PM), and Gly2, Cys4, and Ser6 are crucial amino acid sites for its PM localization and function. Further dissection proclaimed that the function and localization of SUT1 are influenced by mutations in conserved specific residues. These findings may provide a new perspective for elucidating the activation mechanism of SUT1.

## Linked entities

- **Genes:** SLC13A4 (solute carrier family 13 member 4) [NCBI Gene 26266], TOPP4 (type one serine/threonine protein phosphatase 4) [NCBI Gene 818571]
- **Proteins:** SLC13A4 (solute carrier family 13 member 4), TOPP4 (type one serine/threonine protein phosphatase 4)
- **Species:** Arabidopsis thaliana (taxon 3702), Nicotiana benthamiana (taxon 4100)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** ZAR1 (HOPZ-ACTIVATED RESISTANCE 1) [NCBI Gene 824259] {aka HOPZ-ACTIVATED RESISTANCE 1}, RPS5 (Disease resistance protein (CC-NBS-LRR class) family) [NCBI Gene 837775] {aka DISEASE RESISTANCE PROTEIN RPS5, RESISTANT TO P. SYRINGAE 5, T28K15.5, T28K15_5}, RNL (RNAligase) [NCBI Gene 837306] {aka ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA RNA LIGASE, ATRNL, AtRLG1, RNAligase, T6D22.1, T6D22_1}, RIN4 (RPM1 interacting protein 4) [NCBI Gene 822098] {aka AtRIN4, RPM1 interacting protein 4}, TOPP4 (type one serine/threonine protein phosphatase 4) [NCBI Gene 818571] {aka type one serine/threonine protein phosphatase 4}, 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}, RPP1 (Disease resistance protein (TIR-NBS-LRR class) family) [NCBI Gene 823573] {aka cog1, recognition of peronospora parasitica 1}, PBS1 (Protein kinase superfamily protein) [NCBI Gene 831155] {aka T19L5.120, T19L5_120, avrPphB susceptible 1}, SUT1 (Sut1p) [NCBI Gene 852714], HR3 (homolog of RPW8 3) [NCBI Gene 824211] {aka INTRACELLULAR MILDEW A 10, MLA10, homolog of RPW8 3}, SUC2 (sucrose-proton symporter 2) [NCBI Gene 838877] {aka ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA SUCROSE-PROTON SYMPORTER 2, ATSUC2, SUCROSE TRANSPORTER 1, SUCROSE-H+ SYMPORTER, SUT1, T22J18.12}, 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}
- **Diseases:** autoimmune (MESH:D001327), NOD (MESH:D020191), injury to (MESH:D014947)
- **Chemicals:** DAPI (MESH:C007293), ATP (MESH:D000255), acetosyringone (MESH:C051667), rifampicin (MESH:D012293), dATP (MESH:C026600), MMS (MESH:D008741), DL-dithiothreitol (-), kanamycin (MESH:D007612), SDS (MESH:D012967), MES (MESH:C004550), Nucleotide (MESH:D009711), ADP (MESH:D000244), EDTA (MESH:D004492), NaCl (MESH:D012965), MgCl2 (MESH:D015636)
- **Species:** Oryza sativa (Asian cultivated rice, species) [taxon 4530], Nicotiana benthamiana (species) [taxon 4100], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Agrobacterium (genus) [taxon 357], Arabidopsis thaliana (mouse-ear cress, species) [taxon 3702], Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast, species) [taxon 4932]
- **Mutations:** G2A, T246M, Ser6 residues to alanine, R370C, D473V, T246
- **Cell lines:** Col-0 — Homo sapiens (Human), Familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy type 26, Induced pluripotent stem cell (CVCL_A6XE), S2 — Drosophila melanogaster (Fruit fly), Spontaneously immortalized cell line (CVCL_Z232)

## Figures

4 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12941724/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12941724