Susceptibility factor RTP1 negatively regulates Phytophthora parasitica resistance via modulating UPR regulators bZIP60 and bZIP28.

The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a conserved stress adaptive signaling pathway in eukaryotic organisms activated by the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). UPR can be elicited in the course of plant defense, playing important roles in plant-microbe interactions. The major signaling pathways of plant UPR rely on the transcriptional activity of activated forms of ER membrane-associated stress sensors bZIP60 and bZIP28, which are transcription factors that modulate expression of UPR genes. In this study, we report the plant susceptibility factor RTP1 (Resistance to Phytophthora parasitica 1) is involved in ER stress sensing and rtp1-mediated resistance against P. parasitica is synergistically regulated with UPR, as demonstrated by the simultaneous strong induction of UPR and ER stress-associated immune genes in Arabidopsis thaliana rtp1 mutant plants during infection by P. parasitica. We further demonstrate RTP1 contributes to stabilization of the ER membrane-associated bZIP60 and bZIP28 through manipulating the bifunctional protein kinase/ribonuclease IRE1-mediated bZIP60 splicing activity and interacting with bZIP28. Consequently, we find rtp1bzip60 and rtp1bzip28 mutant plants exhibit compromised resistance accompanied with attenuated induction of ER stress-responsive immune genes and reduction of callose deposition in response to P. parasitica infection. Taken together, we demonstrate RTP1 may exert negative modulating roles in the activation of key UPR regulators bZIP60 and bZIP28, which are required for rtp1-mediated plant resistance to P. parasitica. This facilitates our understanding of the important roles of stress adaptive UPR and ER stress in plant immunity.