A Tale of Two Functions: How the Effector PsCRN108 Hijacks Plant Transcription Factors to Suppress Immunity

Commentary

The oomycete pathogen, Phytophthora, secretes both apoplastic and cytoplasmic effectors into its plant host upon infection. CRNs (crinkling and necrosis proteins) are a major family of effector proteins characterized by their variable C-terminal domains and conserved N-terminal motifs (Schornack et al. 2010). Although many CRN effectors have been predicted across various oomycete and fungal pathogens, the mechanisms of action of only a few have been characterized.