Recognition of NIS1 by BRI1-Associated Receptor Kinase 1

The safe production of cultivated plants is threatened by various fungal diseases. NIS1 is a secreted effector protein produced by various fungal pathogens. BAK1 is a plant receptor-like kinase that plays a crucial role in recognizing pathogen-associated molecules like NIS1. Understanding the interaction between NIS1 and BAK1 is important for studying plant defense mechanisms against fungal pathogens, and manipulating this interaction could potentially lead to the development of strategies to enhance plant resistance to fungal diseases.

A recent publication in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules describes the identification of a novel molecule discovered directly from WuXi AppTec’s DNA-encoded library (DEL) product.  The authors demonstrate that this molecule can block the interaction of NIS1-BAK1 and significantly inhibit the virulence of the rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae.