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Updated: Apr 5, 2026

Identification of Post-translational Modifications of Plant Protein Complexes
Published on: February 22, 2014
Posttranslational Modifications of the Master Transcriptional Regulator NPR1 Enable Dynamic but Tight Control of
Abdelaty Saleh1, John Withers1, Rajinikanth Mohan1
1Howard Hughes Medical Institute-Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Department of Biology, PO Box 90338, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
Abstract:
NPR1, a master regulator of basal and systemic acquired resistance in plants, confers immunity through a transcriptional cascade, which includes transcription activators (e.g., TGA3) and repressors (e.g., WRKY70), leading to the massive induction of antimicrobial genes. How this single protein orchestrates genome-wide transcriptional reprogramming in response to immune stimulus remains a major question. Paradoxically, while NPR1 is essential for defense gene induction, its turnover appears to be required for this function, suggesting that NPR1 activity and degradation are dynamically regulated. Here we show that sumoylation of NPR1 by SUMO3 activates defense gene expression by switching NPR1's association with the WRKY transcription repressors to TGA transcription activators. Sumoylation also triggers NPR1 degradation, rendering the immune induction transient. SUMO modification of NPR1 is inhibited by phosphorylation at Ser55/Ser59, which keeps NPR1 stable and quiescent. Thus, posttranslational modifications enable dynamic but tight and precise control of plant immune responses.
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