Lipids in Plant Defense

Dear Colleagues,

Pathogens (bacteria, oomycete, fungi, viruses) represent a major threat to plants. To fight them off, plants use sophisticated defense mechanisms—both basal and inducible mechanisms. The latter rely on the recognition of pathogen-derived molecules leading to the rapid activation of various defense responses, such as the accumulation of antimicrobial secondary metabolites (i.e., phytoalexins, terpenoids, alkaloids) or reactive oxygen species, closure of stomata, or controlled death (hypersensitive response) of infected parts of the organism.

Lipid molecules of different classes play important roles in plant defenses. Cutin, suberin, and waxes—all lipid-derived macromolecules—act as important structural barriers of the cell wall restraining the entry of pathogens. Many other lipids act in regulatory signaling. Second messengers derived from phospholipids (e.g., phosphatidic acid or diacylglycerol) act in lipid signaling pathways with well-established contributions to biotic stress responses. This Special Issue will publish work that expands and details the role of lipid-kinases, lipid-phosphate phosphatases, phospholipases C, D, and A, as well as their products in plant defenses. Studies dealing with the mechanisms of activation and the spatial control of these processes would suit this Special Issue perfectly.

Expanding our knowledge of protein targets of signaling lipids is another important task. The same can be said of moonlighting activities of phospholipases/lipid kinases (i.e., those unrelated to their direct enzymatic activities). Other important tasks include the development of suitable lipid biosensors to further facilitate localization of lipid signaling activities within the cell and the deciphering of the interplay between stress-related hormones (salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, ethylene) and lipid remodeling/signaling.

Studies dealing with oxylipins (including jasmonates) and sterols, or other groups of lipid-derived molecules that have an emerging role in plant defenses are welcome, as are studies dealing with membrane-related activities (remodeling, endocytosis) in the perception of pathogens and activation of defense responses.

By expanding our knowledge of plant defenses, we can move closer to pesticide-free agriculture.

Prof. Dr. Eric Ruelland
Dr. Igor Pokotylo
Guest Editors

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• phospholipase
• diacylglycerol kinase
• lipid kinase
• lipid phosphatase
• phosphatidic acid
• diacylglycerol
• lipid second-messengers
• elicitor recognition
• biotic stress
• hormonal signaling
• lipid–protein interactions
• oxylipins
• sterols
• membrane