Salicylic acid-induced transcriptional reprogramming by the HAC–NPR1–TGA histone acetyltransferase complex in Arabidopsis

Plant immunity depends on massive expression of pathogenesis-related genes (PRs) whose transcription is de-repressed by pathogen-induced signals. Salicylic acid (SA) acts as a major signaling molecule in plant immunity and systemic acquired resistance triggered by bacterial or viral pathogens. SA signal results in the activation of the master immune regulator, Nonexpressor of pathogenesis-related genes 1 (NPR1), which is thought to be recruited by transcription factors such as TGAs to numerous downstream PRs. Despite its key role in SA-triggered immunity, the biochemical nature of the transcriptional coactivator function of NPR1 and the massive transcriptional reprogramming induced by it remain obscure. Here we demonstrate that the CBP/p300-family histone acetyltransferases, HACs and NPR1 are both essential to develop SA-triggered immunity and PR induction. Indeed HACs and NPR1 form a coactivator complex and are recruited to PR chromatin through TGAs upon SA signal, and finally the HAC-NPR1-TGA complex activates PR transcription by histone acetylation-mediated epigenetic reprogramming. Thus, our study reveals a molecular mechanism of NPR1-mediated transcriptional reprogramming and a key epigenetic aspect of the central immune system in plants.