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The arabidopsis MYST histone acetyltransferase, HAG4, modulates root immunity responses
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Tornesaki, Alexia (2023) The arabidopsis MYST histone acetyltransferase, HAG4, modulates root immunity responses. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.
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Official URL: http://webcat.warwick.ac.uk/record=b3973297
Abstract
A major part of the immune responses to pathogens is reprogramming of gene expression. 10% of the plant genome is differentially expressed upon infection. Acetylation of the N-terminal tails of histones by histone acetyltransferases (Tran, Jones et al.) and deacetylation by histone deacetylases (HDACs) are linked to transcriptional changes. Histone acetyltransferases (Tran, Jones et al.) of the MYST family (MYST-HATs) carry out a significant proportion of histone acetylation and therefore play critical roles in transcription regulation. In this study, we investigate the role of the MYST-HATs in regulating Arabidopsis thaliana transcriptional responses to pathogens. The A. thaliana genome contains two MYST-HATS, AtHAG4 and AtHAG5, which are believed to work redundantly in gametophyte development and flowering time. In contrast, our results show that the two A. thaliana MYST-HATs interact with distinct sets of transcription factors and have organ specific functions in plant immunity. AtHAG4 regulates immunity against the root pathogens Verticillium dahliae and Fusarium oxysporum while AtHAG5 regulates immunity against the leaf pathogen Pseudomonas syringae. Thus, our results demonstrate how organ specific defence responses to pathogens are regulated by differential histone acetylation. Interestingly, not all plant species have two homologues of MYST-HATs. For example, tomato has only one copy of MYST-HATs which raise the question if a single copy of MYST-HAT can perform both functions of Arabidopsis MYST family. To answer this question, a chemical approach was adopted to identify specific inhibitors of HAG4 and HAG5. Compounds with high docking scores and with desirable agrochemical properties have been found to be able to inhibit HAG5. To test these inhibitors, HAG5 mutation developmental phenotypes (longer roots and bigger rosettes) and drought tolerance responses were explored in crop plants with only one copy of the MYST family (tomato, spinach, and lettuce) by adding the chemical compounds and confirmed that one copy (HAG4-like) of the MYST family can mirror the phenotypes of hag5 mutants.
Item Type: | Thesis (PhD) | ||||
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Subjects: | Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology Q Science > QH Natural history > QH426 Genetics Q Science > QK Botany Q Science > QR Microbiology > QR180 Immunology |
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Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Immune response, Roots (Botany) -- Diseases and pests, Gene expression, Pathogenic microorganisms, Histones, Acetyltransferases, Genetic transcription -- Regulation | ||||
Official Date: | March 2023 | ||||
Dates: |
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Institution: | University of Warwick | ||||
Theses Department: | School of Life Sciences | ||||
Thesis Type: | PhD | ||||
Publication Status: | Unpublished | ||||
Supervisor(s)/Advisor: | Ntoukakis, Vardis | ||||
Sponsors: | Royal Society (Great Britain) ; University of Warwick | ||||
Format of File: | |||||
Extent: | viii, 123 pages : illustrations | ||||
Language: | eng |
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