Exogenous application of histone demethylase inhibitor trans-2-phenylcyclopropylamine mimics FLD loss-of-function phenotype in terms of systemic acquired resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana

Abstract

Plants often learn from previous infections to mount higher level of resistance during subsequent infections, a phenomenon referred to as systemic acquired resistance (SAR). During primary infection, mobile signals generated at the infection site subsequently move to the rest of plant to activate SAR. SAR activation is associated with alteration in the nucleosomal composition at the promoters of several defense-related genes. However, genetic regulations of such epigenetic modifications are largely obscure. Recently, we have demonstrated that Reduced Systemic immunity1/FLOWERING LOCUS D (RSI1; alias FLD) a homolog of human histone demethylase, is required for SAR development in Arabidopsis. Here, we report that exogenous application of a histone demethylase inhibitor trans-2-phenylcyclopropylamine (2-PCPA) mimics rsi1/fld loss-of-function phenotypes in terms of SAR and associated histone demethylation at the promoters of PR1, WRKY 29, and WRKY6 genes, and as well as flowering phenotypes. Our results suggest histone demethylase activity of FLD is important for controlling SAR activation.