Cell Wall–Associated Mechanisms of Disease Resistance and Susceptibility

The plant cuticle and cell wall separate microbial pathogens from the products of plant metabolism. While microbial pathogens try to breach these barriers for colonization, plants respond to attempted penetration by a battery of wall-associated defense reactions. Successful pathogens circumvent or suppress plant nonself recognition and basal defense during penetration and during microbial reproduction. Additionally, accommodation of fungal infection structures within intact cells requires host reprogramming. Recent data highlight that both early plant defense to fungal penetration and host reprogramming for susceptibility can function at the host cell periphery. Genetic evidence has also widened our…