Uncovering Convergent Pattern Recognition Receptors Recognising Phytophthora Across Plant Lineages

ABSTRACT Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are pivotal for plant immunity, yet their discovery in crops is hindered by lineage‐specific divergence. We demonstrate that microbe‐associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) often activate immunity through phylogenetically unrelated, convergently evolved PRRs across plant lineages. Using the Phytophthora ‐derived MAMP RLK6 as a prototype, we identified two leucine‐rich repeat receptor‐like proteins (LRR‐RLPs), NbRKR1 and NbRKR2, that redundantly perceive RLK6 in the model plant Nicotiana benthamiana . Strikingly, soybean retained RLK6 responsiveness despite lacking NbRKR1/2 orthologs. By integrating AlphaFold3 structural prediction with functional screening in N. benthamiana receptor mutants, we uncovered GmRLP30 as the convergent RLK6 receptor in soybean. Phylogenetic analysis revealed RKR1/2 conservation in Solanaceae but their absence in Capsicum annuum , which encodes a truncated RKR1 variant incapable of activating RLK6 immunity. Critically, heterologous expression of NbRKR1 or GmRLP30 in pepper restored RLK6 perception, confirming functional equivalence. These results establish a direct receptor‐mediated communication between pathogen and host surfaces, an ortholog‐independent pipeline for rapid PRR mining across crops, and a foundation for engineering synthetic immune interfaces with durable disease resistance.