The bacterial lipopeptide surfactin targets the lipid fraction of the plant plasma membrane to trigger immune-related defence responses.

摘要: Summary The lipopeptide surfactin secreted by plant- beneficial bacilli has crucial biological functions among which the ability to stimulate immune- related responses in host tissues. This phenom- enon is important for control of plant diseases but its molecular basis still poorly understood. In this work, we used various approaches study mechanism governing perception biosurfactant at cell surface. Combining data on oxidative burst induc- tion tobacco cells, structure/activity relation- ship, competitive inhibition, insertion kinetics within membranes and thermodynamic deter- mination binding parameters model mem- branes globally indicates that relies a lipid-driven process plasma brane level. Such sensor role lipid bilayer quite uncommon considering basal immunity usually triggered upon recognition microbial patterns high-affinity proteic receptors.