The trans‐Golgi network adaptor protein 4 complex contributes to basal defense and immunity mediated through plasma membrane and intracellular immune receptors

Receptor-like proteins (RLPs) are key components in the plant immune system. Loss of the RLP SUPPRESSOR OF NPR1-1, CONSTITUTIVE 2 (SNC2) in Arabidopsis results in enhanced disease susceptibility, whereas the gain-of-function mutant snc2-1D exhibits autoimmunity including a dwarfed morphology and constitutively activated defense responses. SNC2 function is fully dependent on the transmembrane protein BIAN DA 1 (BDA1). SYSTEMIC ACQUIRED RESISTANCE DEFICIENT 1 (SARD1) and CALMODULIN-BINDING PROTEIN 60 g (CBP60g) are two transcription factors required for the autoimmunity of snc2-1D. Constitutive defense responses in snc2-1D are attenuated by the cbp60g single mutant, but fully abolished by the sard1 cbp60g double mutant. In this study, we identified and characterized the ADAPTOR PROTEIN 4 (AP4) complex in SNC2-mediated plant immunity. By performing a suppressor screen in the cbp60g-1 snc2-1D background, mutations in AP4μ, a subunit of the AP4 complex, were identified. Interestingly, AP4μ associates with BDA1, and Y18 and Y257 of BDA1 seem to play important roles in such interaction. Knocking out genes of other subunits in the AP4 complex consistently suppressed cbp60g-1 snc2-1D autoimmunity, suggesting that the AP4 complex is required for SNC2 signaling. Furthermore, mutating AP4μ in wild-type plants compromises basal defense and pattern- and effector-triggered immunity, indicating a broader role of the AP4 complex in plant immunity.