Posttranslational Modifications of the Master Transcriptional Regulator NPR1 Enable Dynamic but Tight Control of Plant Immune Responses

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. [Display omitted] •The plant immune regulator NPR1 is sumoylated upon immune induction by salicylic acid•Sumoylation switches NPR1’s interaction from transcription repressors to activators•Sumoylation is required for NPR1 immune activity as well as degradation•Sumoylation is inhibited by phosphorylation, which keeps NPR1 stable and quiescent NPR1 is a master immune regulator in plants. How it orchestrates genome-wide transcriptional programming upon immune induction remains a major question. Saleh et al. show that sumoylation of NPR1 switches its association from transcription repressors to transcription activators and E3 ubiquitin ligases to transiently induce defense gene expression.