Cloning, Subcellular Localization and Functional Analysis of TIR-NBS Family Members in Arabidopsis Thaliana

Recent studies have shown that truncated Toll/interleukin-1 receptor-NBS (TIR-NBS) protein plays a critical role in immune responses. In Arabidopsis thaliana ecotype type Col-0, the TIR-NBS family is encoded by 20 genes and one pseudogene. However, so far, our understanding of the subcellular localization and function of these TN genes is not very clear. In this article, we first conducted a brief analysis of the proteins and evolutionary tree expressed by these 20 TN genes. Furthermore, we focused on the TN genes on chromosome 1, which included 12 TN genes, TN1 to TN12, and observed different subcellular localization patterns of these proteins through fluorescence microscopy, including membrane, cytoplasmic, and/or nuclear localization, suggesting diverse roles for these proteins. Additionally, we identified four receptors, including TN2, TN9, TN11, and TN12, that can trigger visible cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana. Taken together, our study provides valuable clues for further investigating the activation mechanisms of TN family members.