Membrane nanodomains and microdomains in plant-microbe interactions

•Nanodomains (NDs) represent common organizational units for membrane proteins.•NDs host pathway-specific components.•ND proteins are in dynamic exchange with the surrounding membrane plane.•Actin and molecular scaffolds might comprise essential ND building blocks.

During plant-microbe interactions, host cells need to keep stringent control over the approaching pathogens and symbionts. This requires specific spatio-temporal assemblies of pattern recognition receptors and other complex constituents and a strict physical separation of genetically overlapping pathways. Increasing evidence suggests that this is, at least partially, achieved by the formation of nanometer scale membrane platforms that might act as signaling hubs. These and other larger-scale sub-compartments have been termed 'membrane rafts', 'nanodomains' and 'microdomains'. This review focuses on recent advances in understanding these nano-scale signaling platforms during plant-microbe interactions and proposes a common definition meant to facilitate the precise discrimination between different types of membrane domains in the future.