TALE-independent transcriptional activation of the rice executor gene Xa23 is regulated via histone acetylation during zygote development
- 1University of California, Berkeley
Abstract
Transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) from Xanthomonas activate transcription of executor (E) genes in host plants, leading to cell death and thereby restricting proliferation of biotrophic pathogens. Because E gene transcripts had only been detected upon activation by cognate Xanthomonas TALEs, E genes were thought to function exclusively in plant immunity. Here, we detect TALE-independent transcription of the rice E gene Xa23 in zygotes 4-6 hours after gamete fusion. Histone deacetylase inhibition induces Xa23 transcription in unfertilized egg cells, implicating histone acetylation in Xa23 regulation. We identified potential cis-regulatory elements and transcription start sites associated with native Xa23 transcription during zygote development. Together, our findings suggest that Xa23 is a developmentally regulated gene with a native role during early zygote development. This supports a previously proposed model in which E genes have native functions in development, while fortuitous upstream polymorphisms can create TALE-binding sites that convert them into immune executors.
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BibTeX
@misc{schenstnyi2026taleindependent,
title = {{TALE-independent transcriptional activation of the rice executor gene Xa23 is regulated via histone acetylation during zygote development}},
author = {K. Schenstnyi and K. Rattanawong and A. Satoh and A. Strauss and N. Faiss and D. R. Holmes and L. Redzich and E. Toda and H. Aini and A. Kinoshita and T. Lahaye and T. Okamoto},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.64898/2026.09.02.748781},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.02.748781v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - TALE-independent transcriptional activation of the rice executor gene Xa23 is regulated via histone acetylation during zygote development
AU - K. Schenstnyi
AU - K. Rattanawong
AU - A. Satoh
AU - A. Strauss
AU - N. Faiss
AU - D. R. Holmes
AU - L. Redzich
AU - E. Toda
AU - H. Aini
AU - A. Kinoshita
AU - T. Lahaye
AU - T. Okamoto
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/02
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.09.02.748781
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.02.748781v1
AB - Transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) from Xanthomonas activate transcription of executor (E) genes in host plants, leading to cell death and thereby restricting proliferation of biotrophic pathogens. Because E gene transcripts had only been detected upon activation by cognate Xanthomonas TALEs, E genes were thought to function exclusively in plant immunity. Here, we detect TALE-independent transcription of the rice E gene Xa23 in zygotes 4-6 hours after gamete fusion. Histone deacetylase inhibition induces Xa23 transcription in unfertilized egg cells, implicating histone acetylation in Xa23 regulation. We identified potential cis-regulatory elements and transcription start sites associated with native Xa23 transcription during zygote development. Together, our findings suggest that Xa23 is a developmentally regulated gene with a native role during early zygote development. This supports a previously proposed model in which E genes have native functions in development, while fortuitous upstream polymorphisms can create TALE-binding sites that convert them into immune executors.
ER -