Emerging Roles of Receptor-Like Proteins in Plant Immunity: Crosstalk, Signalling Networks and Prospects for Disease Resistance Breeding.

Receptor-like proteins (RLPs) are cell-surface receptors that recognise pathogen- or damage-associated molecular patterns to activate immune responses, and some also participate in plant development and modulation of defence signalling. Recent advances in bioinformatics and high-throughput technologies have begun to shed light on the functional roles of RLPs, their interactions with other immune receptors, and their involvement in plant defence mechanisms. This review summarises the emerging roles of RLPs in plant immunity, with a particular focus on their dynamic interplay with receptor-like kinases (RLKs) and intracellular nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptors (NLRs) in forming integrated immune signalling networks. We also compare RLP functions across model species and major crops, revealing both conserved mechanisms and species-specific adaptations that may reflect evolutionary divergence. Furthermore, we evaluate the potential of RLPs as promising targets for disease resistance breeding. Together, this review provides a comprehensive framework for understanding RLP functions and offers strategic perspectives for leveraging RLPs in translational crop improvement.