As plants are sessile, they have evolved hundreds of resistance (R) genes to defend themselves against multiple pathogens. Most of plant R genes encode proteins with the nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat (NB-LRR) domains that interact with pathogen effectors to induce defense responses. Recent findings describing R proteins structures, host interactors and transcriptional and posttrans...

Decorin is a ubiquitous extracellular matrix proteoglycan with a variety of important biological functions that are mediated by its interactions with extracellular matrix proteins, cytokines, and cell surface receptors. Decorin is the prototype of the family of small leucine-rich repeat proteoglycans and proteins (SLRPs), characterized by a protein core composed of leucine-rich repeats (LRRs), ...

Plant nucleotide-binding (NB) and leucine-rich repeat (LRR) receptors mediate effector-triggered immunity. Two major classes of NB-LRR proteins are involved in this process, namely, toll-interleukin receptor (TIR)-NB-LRR and coiled coil (CC)-NB-LRR proteins. Recent reports show that some of the TIR-NB-LRRs and CC-NB-LRRs localize to the cytoplasm and nucleus. Equilibrium between these pools is ...

We have screened the genome of the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum for gene models encoding proteins exhibiting leucine-rich repeat (LRR) structures. In order to reveal the functionality of these proteins, their amino acid sequences were scanned for known domains and for homologies to other proteins. Additionally, proteins were categorized into different LRR-families according to the va...

The innate immune system includes microbial pattern recognition receptors that detect bacteria and viral products at the cell surface, in vesicles, and within the cytoplasm. Transmembrane signaling occurs through Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Cytoplasmic receptors are generally members of the nucleotide-binding domain (NOD)-leucine-rich repeat (LRR) family (CATERPILLER family). They influence the...

Glycoprotein (GP) Ib , a member of the leucine-rich repeat (LRR) protein family, mediates platelet adhesion to immobilized von Willebrand factor (VWF). We investigated the role in VWF binding of charged residues in the LRR region of GP Ib that are conserved in human, canine, and murine proteins. Substitution of His86 with either Ala or Glu resulted in a gain of VWF-binding function as judged by...

In plants, leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases (LRR-RKs) perceive ligands, including peptides and small molecules, to regulate various physiological processes. TDIF, a member of the CLE peptide family, specifically interacts with the LRR-RK TDR to inhibit meristem differentiation into tracheary elements, and promotes cell proliferation. Here we report the crystal structure of the extracel...