Abstract
Innate immunity in plants and animals shares many structural and functional homologies, which suggests an ancient origin of cellular defense mechanisms in both kingdoms. Pathogen sensing in animal innate immunity is mediated by Toll-like receptors (TLRs). These receptors have TIR (Toll/interleukin-1 receptor) domains and leucine-rich repeats, which are modules also present in many plant resistance (R) proteins. Molecular analysis of transcripts encoding animal TLRs and Toll-like plant R proteins revealed many cases of alternative splicing. Recent studies of the tobacco N and the Arabidopsis RPS4 genes, both encoding Toll-like plant R proteins, showed that intron-deprived genes have reduced or no activity, suggesting that alternative splicing is a crucial component in these signaling pathways.
Publication types
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Comparative Study
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Alternative Splicing / genetics*
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Animals
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Arabidopsis / genetics
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Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
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Drosophila / genetics
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Drosophila Proteins*
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Flax / genetics
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Genetic Complementation Test
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Glycine max / genetics
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Humans
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Immunity, Innate / genetics
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Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics*
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Mice
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Nicotiana / genetics
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Plant Diseases / genetics
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Plant Proteins / genetics*
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Receptors, Cell Surface / genetics*
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Receptors, Interleukin-1 / genetics
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Signal Transduction / genetics
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Solanum tuberosum / genetics
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Toll-Like Receptors
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Transcription, Genetic
Substances
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Arabidopsis Proteins
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Drosophila Proteins
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L6 protein, Linum usitatissimum
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Membrane Glycoproteins
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N protein, Nicotiana glutinosa
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Plant Proteins
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RPP5 protein, Arabidopsis
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Receptors, Cell Surface
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Receptors, Interleukin-1
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Toll-Like Receptors