Abstract
EDM2 is required for R-protein-mediated immunity as well as several developmental processes in Arabidopsis. It bears typical features of transcription factors and epigenetic regulators, but does not belong to any established class of proteins controlling transcription. We found EDM2 to interact in nuclei with a WNK-type protein kinase (WTK) that phosphorylates EDM2. wtk mutants do not exhibit reduced immunity, but show edm2-related developmental phenotypes. Thus, EDM2 appears to be controlled in part by WTK. Furthermore, EDM2 seems to affect the status of chromatin as well as expression of multiple genes encoding defense components or developmental regulators. We are currently examining in vivo-functions of multiple chromatin-associated proteins that we identified as EDM2 interactors to understand putative roles of EDM2 as part of regulatory complexes differentially controlling expression of gene clusters required for defense and developmental processes. We are also addressing possibly intriguing connections between its roles in immunity and development.
