Chromatin Configuration as a Battlefield in Plant-Bacteria Interactions

Regulation of chromatin dynamics by remodeling complexes is well known to play critical roles in gene expression changes during plant development and stress response. Recent discoveries implicated that chromatin remodelers also regulate plant immunity. Upon pathogen infection, histone modifying enzymes and ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers, in conjunction with other regulatory proteins, are recruited to defense-related gene regions, resulting in transcription reprogramming. The presence of a large number of potential components of chromatin remodeling complexes may contribute to the integration of various signals, and eventually lead to the quantitative and kinetical immune response. Biotrophic and hemibiotrophic pathogens have evolved virulence factors to suppress plant defense, which is essential for disease development. The conserved nature of chromatin remodeling complexes makes them attractive targets of these pathogens. Here, we update our knowledge on the emerging role of chromatin configuration in the tight control of plant defense response against bacterial infection, and discuss the potential functions of bacterial virulence proteins to subvert immunity by modulating chromatin-remodeling processes.