Synthetic FLS2 receptor oligomer boosts plant innate immunity

Cell surface receptors’ gradual assembly and oligomerization are vital for controlling receptor activation and turnover. However, the spatiotemporal mechanisms of how surface receptor interactions achieve high efficiency and sustain plant immune signaling remain unclear. Here, we synthetically engineered the Arabidopsis pattern recognition receptor FLS2 to control its oligomerization precisely. We investigated the dynamic FLS2 nanoscale assemblies at the single-molecule level and their corresponding rewired immune signaling. Engineered FLS2 exhibits enhanced defense mechanisms in an oligomerization status-dependent manner. FLS2 dimerization significantly enhances immune responses, while the over-assembled tetrameric version impairs receptor endocytosis, disrupting its timely turnover and weakening sustained immune signaling. Our results reveal precise control of immune receptor assemblies for initial activation and long-lasting immune signaling, offering insights for engineering plant defense receptors.