Bodyguards: Pathogen-Derived Decoys That Protect Virulence Factors

Judith K. Paulus, Jiorgos Kourelis, Renier A.L. van der Hoorn

Abstract

Recent studies on plant-pathogen interactions have exposed a new strategy used by plant pathogens: decoy effectors that protect virulence factors. Examples of these ‘bodyguards’ include the recently discovered PsXLP1 from Phytophthora sojae and truncated TALEs from Xanthomonas oryzae. These examples suggest important roles for seemingly non-functional effector proteins in distracting the host.