Pathogen Infection and MORC Proteins Affect Chromatin Accessibility of Transposable Elements and Expression of Their Proximal Genes in Arabidopsis

Mol Plant Microbe Interact. 2016 Sep;29(9):674-687. doi: 10.1094/MPMI-01-16-0023-R. Epub 2016 Sep 26.

Abstract

To assess the role of MORC1 in epigenetics in relation to plant immunity, genome-wide chromatin accessibility was compared between mock- or Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato-inoculated wild type (WT) Arabidopsis, the morc1/2 double mutant, or both. Most changes in chromatin accessibility, scored by DNase I hypersensitive sites (DHSs), were located in the promoters of genes and transposable elements (TEs). Comparisons between morc1/2 and WT receiving the same treatment revealed differential DHSs (dDHSs) predominantly associated with heterochromatic TEs. By contrast, comparisons between mock- and P. syringae pv. tomato-inoculated plants from the same genotype showed dDHSs associated with biotic and abiotic stress-related genes; a smaller but significant population was in TEs. Moreover, many defense genes, including PR-1, PR-2, and PR-5, were proximal to P. syringae pv. tomato-induced, TE-associated dDHSs. A random subset of these defense genes showed moderately delayed or reduced expression or both in P. syringae pv. tomato-infected morc1/2 as compared with WT. MORC1 was physically bound to chromatin in a P. syringae pv. tomato infection-responsive manner at sites dispersed throughout the genome. Notably, silencing of TE-associated dDHSs proximal to these infection-induced, MORC1-interacting sites led to significant suppression of P. syringae pv. tomato-induced transcription of adjacent defense genes, including PR-1. These results provide evidence that MORC1 is associated with TEs and suggest that a subset of these TEs may help regulate their proximal defense genes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / genetics
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / metabolism*
  • Arabidopsis / genetics*
  • Arabidopsis / immunology
  • Arabidopsis / microbiology
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism*
  • Chromatin / genetics
  • DNA Transposable Elements / genetics*
  • Plant Diseases / immunology*
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology
  • Plant Immunity / genetics
  • Pseudomonas syringae / physiology*

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Chromatin
  • DNA Transposable Elements
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases
  • MORC1 protein, Arabidopsis