Phosphoregulation of Ca2+ Influx in Plant Immunity

A rapid influx of calcium into the cytosol represents a hallmark of plant immune responses. Recent studies in arabidopsis ( Tian et al. ) and rice ( Wang et al. ) reveal that pathogen-responsive receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases phosphorylate and activate calcium-permeable cyclic nucleotide-gated channels to trigger calcium influx, filling a missing link between pathogen perception and calcium signaling.