Plant fatty acid metabolism affects plant immunity

The healthy salad you eat for lunch contains fatty acids – surprised? The fatty acids, lipids, and fats in food may not sound good, but they are the foundation of
human life and the plants we eat.
Their interaction with certain proteins helps regulate plant growth
.

Plant fatty acids (FAs) are structural components of cell membranes and are components of
certain hormones and other substances.
Fatty acids are stabilized during synthesis by acyl carrier proteins (ACPs), which are present in all branches of life and support and prolong the growing fatty acid chain
.
A recent study by Zhenzhen Zhao of The Ohio State University and her colleagues has revealed a new dimension of the biosynthetic role of FAs in plants, providing a direct link
to plant defense mechanisms.

The study found that Arabidopsis thaliana plants lacking acyl carrier protein 1 (ACP1) were more resistant to bacterial pathogens, suggesting that FAs metabolism plays a crucial role
in plant immunity.
Corresponding author Ye Xia commented: "Our study provides a direct link between FAs metabolism and plant immunity and reveals the potential role
of ACP1 in plant defense of important cash crops.
"

Studies have shown that ACP1 is essential
for maintaining homeostasis of hormones that affect various stress responses in plants.
This effect on hormonal signaling creates a broad stage for ACP1 to influence other biotic and abiotic stressors, a mature area
to be further explored.
In addition, the study highlights the importance of studying individual members of gene families that may have discrete functions, as ACP1 plays a role in plant resistance – unlike
its close cousin ACP4.

ACP1 homologs are currently present in
a variety of important cash crops.
In the future, genetically engineering these important crops to regulate ACP1 expression will be an exciting way to
create disease-resistant varieties that fight infections from bacteria and other pathogens.

Article published in the journal Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions (MPMI).