Ustilaginoidea virens modulates lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation in rice flowers during infection

The post-translational modification lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation (K-hib) plays an important role in gene transcription, metabolism, and enzymatic activity. K-hib sites have been identified in rice (Oryza sativa). However, the K-hib status of proteins in rice flowers during pathogen infection remains unclear. Here, we report a comprehensive identification of K-hib-modified proteins in rice flowers, and the changes in these proteins during infection with the fungal pathogen Ustilaginoidea virens. By using a tandem mass tag-based quantitative proteomics approach, we identified 2,891 K-hib sites on 964 proteins in rice flowers. Our data demonstrated that 2-hydroxyisobutyrylated proteins are involved in diverse biological processes. K-hib levels were substantially reduced upon infection with U. virens. Chromatin immunoprecipitation polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription quantitative PCR analyses revealed that histone K-hib is involved in the expression of disease-resistance genes. More importantly, most quantified sites on core histones H3 were downregulated upon U. virens infection. In addition, the histone deacetylases HDA705, HDA716, SRT1, and SRT2 are involved in the removal of K-hib marks in rice. HDA705 was further confirmed to negatively regulate rice disease resistance to pathogens U. virens, Magnaporthe oryzae, and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo). Our data suggest that U. virens could modulate K-hib in rice flowers during infection.

Automated summary

The post-translational modification lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation (K-hib) plays a significant role in gene transcription, metabolism, and enzymatic activity in rice. Despite having identified K-hib sites in rice, the K-hib status of proteins in rice flowers during infection with Ustilaginoidea virens remains unclear. Through quantitative proteomics, researchers identified K-hib-modified proteins in rice flowers, with levels of K-hib substantially reduced during U. virens infection. Additionally, histone K-hib was found to be involved in the expression of disease-resistance genes, with most quantified sites on core histones H3 downregulated upon infection.