A Maize (Zea mays L.) BIK1-Like Receptor-Like Cytoplasmic Kinase Contributes to Disease Resistance

Abstract Receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs) form a large subfamily of proteins in plants. RLCKs are known to regulate plant immunity bacterial and fungal pathogens. In this study, we analyzed the genome-wide complement maize RLCK genes conducted detailed studies on one RLCK. The genome encodes 192 that largely mirror family other Previous implicated Arabidopsis BOTRYTIS INDUCED KINASE1 (BIK1) TOMATO PROTEIN KINASE 1b (TPK1b) resistance pathogen Pseudomonas syringae Botrytis cinerea . A novel RLCK, Zea Mays BIK1-LIKE 1 (ZmBLK1) , was identified based sequence similarity tomato RLCKs. We demonstrated ZmBLK1 displays protein kinase activity vitro localizes plasma membrane. Importantly, expression partially rescued growth disease phenotypes bik1 mutant induced at 12 h after inoculation with Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis (CMN), causing Goss’s wilt. Interestingly, overexpression transgenic increased CMN but did not impact Aspergillus ear rot caused by flavus associated aflatoxin contamination. These findings support our hypothesis contributes pathogens likely modulating events early infection, implying may interact membrane immune response pathway.