Genetius

The study introduces an enhanced crosslinking mass spectrometry workflow that preserves native protein interactions within functional thylakoid membranes of Arabidopsis and spinach, while electron transport remains active. Mapping the obtained crosslinks to known structures validates complex integrity and reveals novel assemblies, facilitating in situ exploration of photosynthetic membrane protein networks.

The study demonstrates that a beta‑1,3‑glucan‑binding protein from the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae interacts with the rice thaumatin‑like protein OsPR5, which sequesters the fungal protein to trigger immunity, while the fungus secretes thaumatin‑binding proteins to counteract this defense. Additionally, a rice cell‑surface receptor kinase containing a thaumatin domain has evolved to detect the fungal GBP, highlighting a complex coevolutionary arms race in the rice apoplast.