Arabidopsis WALL-ASSOCIATED KINASES are not required for oligogalacturonide-induced signaling and immunity In this study, researchers investigated the role of Arabidopsis WALL-ASSOCIATED KINASES (WAKs) in oligogalacturonide (OG)-induced signaling and immunity. They generated a deletion mutant of all five WAK genes (wak12) and tested its response to OGs. The results showed that wak12 retained full responsiveness to OGs, as measured by both early and late immune signaling outputs. Additionally, wak12 plants were not affected in OG-induced resistance against both bacterial and fungal pathogens. The study also tested the genetic involvement of WAKs in response to flg22 and found that flg22-induced responses were not affected in the wak12 mutant. These findings indicate that WAKs are not genetically required for OG perception and ensuing immune signaling in Arabidopsis. The study also examined the role of WAKs in immune signaling triggered by other elicitors, such as bacterial flagellin and fungal chitin. The results showed that WAKs were not required for these responses. The wak42 mutant, which lacks all five WAK genes, did not show any significant differences in immune responses to these elicitors. These findings suggest that WAKs may not function as true OG receptors but may instead play a role in other aspects of plant immunity. The study also discussed the broader role of WAKs in plant immunity, suggesting that they may perceive diverse molecules of microbial origin and orchestrate both broad-spectrum and race-specific resistance. However, the mechanisms by which WAKs contribute to immunity and their true ligand(s) remain to be characterized. The study highlights the importance of further research to understand the role of WAKs in plant immunity and their potential as targets for improving disease resistance in crops.Arabidopsis WALL-ASSOCIATED KINASES are not required for oligogalacturonide-induced signaling and immunity In this study, researchers investigated the role of Arabidopsis WALL-ASSOCIATED KINASES (WAKs) in oligogalacturonide (OG)-induced signaling and immunity. They generated a deletion mutant of all five WAK genes (wak12) and tested its response to OGs. The results showed that wak12 retained full responsiveness to OGs, as measured by both early and late immune signaling outputs. Additionally, wak12 plants were not affected in OG-induced resistance against both bacterial and fungal pathogens. The study also tested the genetic involvement of WAKs in response to flg22 and found that flg22-induced responses were not affected in the wak12 mutant. These findings indicate that WAKs are not genetically required for OG perception and ensuing immune signaling in Arabidopsis. The study also examined the role of WAKs in immune signaling triggered by other elicitors, such as bacterial flagellin and fungal chitin. The results showed that WAKs were not required for these responses. The wak42 mutant, which lacks all five WAK genes, did not show any significant differences in immune responses to these elicitors. These findings suggest that WAKs may not function as true OG receptors but may instead play a role in other aspects of plant immunity. The study also discussed the broader role of WAKs in plant immunity, suggesting that they may perceive diverse molecules of microbial origin and orchestrate both broad-spectrum and race-specific resistance. However, the mechanisms by which WAKs contribute to immunity and their true ligand(s) remain to be characterized. The study highlights the importance of further research to understand the role of WAKs in plant immunity and their potential as targets for improving disease resistance in crops.