biostudies-literatureLeong JXSvenska Forskningsrådet FormasVetenskapsrådetDeutsche ForschungsgemeinschaftDivision of Integrative Organismal SystemsBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research CouncilHORIZON EUROPE Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actionse110352https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9251887biostudies-literatureUnknown41(13)Beyond its role in cellular homeostasis, autophagy plays anti- and promicrobial roles in host-microbe interactions, both in animals and plants. One prominent role of antimicrobial autophagy is to degrade intracellular pathogens or microbial molecules, in a process termed xenophagy. Consequently, microbes evolved mechanisms to hijack or modulate autophagy to escape elimination. Although well-described in animals, the extent to which xenophagy contributes to plant-bacteria interactions remains unknown. Here, we provide evidence that Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv) suppresses host autophagy by utilizing type-III effector XopL. XopL interacts with and degrades the autophagy component SH3P2 via its E3 ligase activity to promote infection. Intriguingly, XopL is targeted for degradation by defense-related selective autophagy mediated by NBR1/Joka2, revealing a complex antagonistic interplay between XopL and the host autophagy machinery. Our results implicate plant antimicrobial autophagy in the depletion of a bacterial virulence factor and unravel an unprecedented pathogen strategy to counteract defense-related autophagy in plant-bacteria interactions.The EMBO journalA bacterial effector counteracts host autophagy by promoting degradation of an autophagy component.PMC92518872016‐01044SFB1101BB/T006102/1GZBO1961/5‐27994332016‐045622026368UE188/2‐12020‐053272017‐01596Bornke FRaffeiner MGuzman ARFranz-Wachtel MLeong JXBozkurt TOUstun SPandey PSpinti DHofius DHafren AKim JGLangin GMudgett MBMinina AEMacek BfalseA bacterial effector counteracts host autophagy by promoting degradation of an autophagy component.Beyond its role in cellular homeostasis, autophagy plays anti- and promicrobial roles in host-microbe interactions, both in animals and plants. One prominent role of antimicrobial autophagy is to degrade intracellular pathogens or microbial molecules, in a process termed xenophagy. Consequently, microbes evolved mechanisms to hijack or modulate autophagy to escape elimination. Although well-described in animals, the extent to which xenophagy contributes to plant-bacteria interactions remains unknown. Here, we provide evidence that Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv) suppresses host autophagy by utilizing type-III effector XopL. XopL interacts with and degrades the autophagy component SH3P2 via its E3 ligase activity to promote infection. Intriguingly, XopL is targeted for degradation by defense-related selective autophagy mediated by NBR1/Joka2, revealing a complex antagonistic interplay between XopL and the host autophagy machinery. Our results implicate plant antimicrobial autophagy in the depletion of a bacterial virulence factor and unravel an unprecedented pathogen strategy to counteract defense-related autophagy in plant-bacteria interactions.2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Jul2024-11-13T08:38:56.39Z2022-07-19T22:49:09.081ZS-EPMC92518873562091410.15252/embj.2021110352