Figure 1.

Somatic embryogenic receptor kinase (SERK) signaling. The SERK gene is expressed under auxin or other Plant Growth Regulator (PRG) stimuli. The SERK protein, a membrane receptor, phosphorylates the brassinosteroid receptor under appropriate external signal, to upregulate pathogen-related (PR) genes or disease response genes, increasing plant pathogen tolerance. SERK is involved in the expression of stress-response genes, and developmental pathways such as somatic embryogenesis or shoot organogenesis.