组蛋白乙酰化修饰是调控基因表达的主要机制之一，由功能相反的两类酶即组蛋白乙酰化酶和组蛋白去乙酰化酶精细调控。水稻受病毒侵染过程中编码组蛋白去乙酰化酶的基因的表达被上调。然而还不清楚组蛋白去乙酰化调控在水稻与病毒互作中起何种作用。我们前期的研究发现，水稻HDA703是一个H4K8和H4K12去乙酰化酶，正调控了水稻抗病毒反应，提示组蛋白去乙酰化调控水稻抗病毒免疫反应，且HDA703在其中起重要的调控作用。本项目拟在前期研究的基础上，一方面在全基因组水平上分析组蛋白去乙酰化的调控与抗病毒相关基因表达的关联；另一方面通过鉴定HDA703的互作蛋白和靶标基因研究HDA703调控水稻抗病毒的分子网络。通过这两方面的研究深入阐明组蛋白去乙酰化在水稻抗病毒免疫反应中的调控机制。

Histone acetylation modification is one of the major regulatory mechanisms for eukaryotic gene expression. It is controlled by two types of enzymes of opposing activities, i.e. histone acetyltransferase (HAT) and histone deacetylase(HDAC). In the process of virus infection of rice, HDAC genes are upregulated. However, it is not clear what kind of roles histone deacetylation plays in the interactions between rice and viruses. We have found that rice HDA703 is a H4K8 and H4K12 deacetylase, and it positively regulates rice antiviral response. Base on these previous results, this project plans to further address two major issues. First, on the genome-wide level to investigate the association between histone deacetylation and expression of rice antiviral genes; second, by identifying HDA703 interacting proteins and its target genes to gain insight into HDA703-mediated rice antiviral pathways. These two parts of studies will further illustrate the mechanisms of histone deacetylation regulation on rice antiviral immunity.