Epigenetic Regulation of Plant Immunity
Summary
Plants rely on finely tuned immune responses to detect and counteract a wide array of pathogens. Beyond classic receptor-ligand recognition, epigenetic mechanisms—heritable changes in gene expression without alteration of the DNA sequence—have emerged as central modulators of plant defence. DNA methylation, histone modifications and chromatin remodelling act in concert to regulate the accessibility of defence-related genes. Such modifications can establish a poised or ‘primed’ state, enabling rapid gene activation upon pathogen challenge and contributing to systemic acquired resistance. Transposable elements and non-coding RNAs further interact with chromatin structure, influencing defence gene networks. Understanding how epigenetic states are established, maintained and reversed offers opportunities to engineer durable disease resistance and to reduce reliance on chemical treatments.
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Epigenetic Regulation of Plant Immunity publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in epigenetic regulation of plant immunity across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Epigenetics: Regulation of gene activity through chromatin modifications rather than DNA sequence changes.
DNA methylation: Addition of methyl groups to cytosine or adenine bases, influencing transcriptional silencing or activation.
Histone acetylation: Attachment of acetyl groups to lysine residues on histone tails, generally promoting a relaxed chromatin state and active transcription.
Histone deacetylase (HDAC): Enzyme that removes acetyl groups from histones, leading to chromatin condensation and transcriptional repression.
Chromatin remodelling: ATP-dependent repositioning or restructuring of nucleosomes to regulate DNA accessibility.
Priming: Epigenetic mechanism that keeps defence genes in a poised state, enabling faster and stronger activation upon pathogen attack.
References
- Unveiling the mechanism of broad‐spectrum blast resistance in rice: The collaborative role of transcription factor OsGRAS30 and histone deacetylase OsHDAC1. Plant Biotechnology Journal (2024).
- Wheat Susceptibility Genes TaCAMTA2 and TaCAMTA3 Negatively Regulate Post-Penetration Resistance against Blumeria graminis forma specialis tritici. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).
- The fungicide pyraclostrobin affects gene expression by altering the DNA methylation pattern in Magnaporthe oryzae. Frontiers in Plant Science (2024).
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