EF-Tu receptor

[2] The plant Arabidopsis thaliana has a genome with only around 135 megabase pairs (Mbp), making it small enough to fully synthesize.

It also makes it relatively easy to study, leading to its use as a common model organism in the field of plant genetics.

One is the use of pattern-recognition receptors (PRR) to bind to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP), which are highly conserved structures on the outside of many invasive organisms.

[5] EF-Tu, a very common and highly conserved protein, is an example of a PAMP that can be found in numerous pathogens.

While in the ER, this primary polypeptide chain undergoes a regulatory process known as ER-quality control (ER-QC) to help ensure it folds into the correct 3-D structure.

Other proteins that are required for the proper synthesis of EFR include Arabidopsis CRT3 and UGGT, which are members of the EFR-QC and act as chaperones to help folding.

[11] Only bacteria that have a high amount of EF-Tu are effectively inhibited by EFR, such as Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

The ability to transfer PRRs between plants and have them retain their effectiveness broadens genetic engineering techniques to promote disease resistance in crops.

It can also reduce chemical wastes associated with mass agriculture and enable the transfer of immunity rapidly and without traditional breeding.