New publication: Regulation of plant immune signaling by CDPKs

Activation of calcium signaling is a universal response to stress that allows cells to quickly respond to environmental cues. Fluctuations in cytosolic calcium are decoded in plants by calcium-sensing proteins such as calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs). The perception of microbes results in an influx of calcium that activates numerous CDPKs that propagate immune signals required for resistance against disease-causing pathogens. In this review, now published online in Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, Melissa Bredow and I describe our current understanding of CDPK activation and regulation, and provide a comprehensive overview of CDPK-mediated immune signaling through interaction with various substrates.