Emerging Roles of Motile Epidermal Chloroplasts in Plant Immunity

Abstract

Plant epidermis contains atypical small chloroplasts. However, the physiological role of this organelle is unclear compared to that of large mesophyll chloroplasts, the well-known function of which is photosynthesis. Although knowledge of the involvement of chloroplasts in the plant immunity has been expanded to date, the differences between the epidermal and mesophyll chloroplasts are beyond the scope of this study. Given the role of the plant epidermis as a barrier to environmental stresses, including pathogen attacks, and the immune-related function of chloroplasts, plant defense research on epidermal chloroplasts is an emerging field. Recent studies have revealed the dynamic movements of epidermal chloroplasts in response to fungal and oomycete pathogens. Furthermore, epidermal chloroplast-associated proteins and cellular events that are tightly linked to epidermal resistance against pathogens have been reported. In this review, I have focused on the recent progress in epidermal chloroplast-mediated plant immunity.