Plastids play key roles in local and systemic plant responses to pathogens or beneficial bacteria. In this talk, I will discuss the potential for plastid specialization in these responses. Specifically, I’ll briefly review some published data supporting a role for epidermal plastid in the generation of signal molecules. I’ll provide new data about how some plastids become equipped with proteins that are involved in mobilizing a plastid signal(s), and discuss our strategy to further dissect how different plastid types may be reprogrammed during microbial interactions. Finally, I will discuss a novel plant response that is modulated by a root sensory plastid signal(s).
