REVIEW article
Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Plant Pathogen Interactions
Nicotiana benthamiana as a model system for dissecting plant-pathogen interactions
Provisionally accepted
Zhengchao Yang1*
Weijie Xu2- 1Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
- 2Zhejiang A and F University, Hangzhou, China
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Nicotiana benthamiana is widely used as a model plant for studying plant-pathogen interactions owing to its genetic background and experimental accessibility. Its allopolyploid genome, high susceptibility to diverse pathogens, and distinct composition of RNA silencing-related genes provide a suitable system for investigating host responses during infection. Studies in N.benthamiana have enabled detailed analyses of interactions with viruses, viroids, bacteria, fungi, and oomycetes, and have contributed to the characterization of antiviral RNA silencing, pattern-triggered immunity (PTI), effector-triggered immunity (ETI), and MAPK-mediated signaling pathways. Premature transcriptional termination resulting in a nonfunctional NbRDR1 constitutes a key factor influencing antiviral RNA silencing regulation and host–virus interactions in this species. N.benthamiana has also been used to dissect immune receptor-mediated signaling and downstream defense responses to non-viral pathogens, including reactive oxygen species production and programmed cell death. In addition, the availability of virus-induced gene silencing and Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression systems has facilitated functional analyses and comparative studies across plant species. This review integrates molecular insights from diverse pathosystems and evaluates limitations relevant to interpreting results obtained in N.benthamiana.
Keywords: Effector-triggered immunity (ETI), Nicotiana benthamiana, pattern-triggeredimmunity (PTI), plant-pathogen interactions, Rdr1
Received: 18 Dec 2025; Accepted: 16 Feb 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Yang and Xu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Zhengchao Yang
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