Table 1. Summary table of some of the best characterized epigenetic modifications (DNA methylation and histone posttranslational modifications [hPTM]) in host–pathogen interactions.
| Topic/Organism | Epigenetic Mechanism | (E): Effectors, (T): Targets | Phenotype/Functions | Refs |
| Parasite plasticity | ||||
| Plasmodium falciparum | hPTM | (E): protein families ApiAP2, PfPuf2, PfGCN5, PfSET1, PfSET2, PfCARM1 & others (T): histones HP1, H3, H4, H2A, H2B, & others | Sexual & morphological differentiation (Transmission) | [15] [93] [22], [94] [18] [23], [24] |
| (E): HACs & HMTs (T): H3, Variant surface antigen families | Virulence (Antigenic variation) | |||
| Toxoplasma gondii | hPTM & chromatin-modifying proteins | (E): HDAC, PRMT, MYST, GCN5, SET, ATP-dependent remodeling factors, (T): histones H3, H4, H2A, H2B | Sexual & morphological differentiation (Transmission) | [18], [20] |
| Entamoeba histolytica | hPTM | (E): nd, (T): Histones H3, H3K4, ap-a, cpA5 & lgl1 genes | Virulence (Cytotoxicity) | [25] |
| Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli, and others | DNA adenine methylation | (E): CcrM and DAM, (T): pathogenicity island I (SPI-1), lppB gene, std & spv operon | Virulence (Motility, Cell adhesion & Invasion, Cytotoxicity) | [28] |
| Candida albicans | DNA methylation | (E): nd, (T): RPD3, PBI2, FOX2 genes | Morphological differentiation (Transmission) | [21] |
| Giardia lamblia | hPTM | (E): HAC & HDAC, (T): nd | Morphological differentiation (Transmission) | [95] |
| Schistosoma mansoni | DNA methylation | (E): DNMT2, (T): Smp155010 protein | Development (Oviposition) | [96] |
| Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and others | DNA methylation | (E): Human cellular DNMTs, (T): Viral methylome | Virulence | [97] |
| Pathogen-induced host alterations | ||||
| Wolbachia pipientis | DNA methylation | (E): prophage DNMTs?, (T): nd | Male feminization | [39], [40] |
| Pseudomonas syringae | hPTM & DNA methylation | (E): HAC & HMT, (T): WRKY6 & WRKY53 genes; DEFENSIN1.2 promoter | Host immune priming | [44] |
| Influenza virus | hPTM & DNA methylation | (E): Viral NS1 (ARSK sequence), (T): transcription factor PAF1 | Host immunosuppression | [37] |
| Human adenovirus (HAdV) | hPTM | (E): Viral E1A protein (T): IFN signaling, Histone H2B | Host immunosuppression | [98] |
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis | hPTM & chromatin-modifying proteins | (E): SWI/SNF protein complex (T): IFN signaling, CIITA promoter | Host immunosuppression | [36] |
| Listeria monocytogenes | hPTM & chromatin-modifying proteins | (E): Listeriolysin O, (T): MAPK signaling, Histone H4 and H3 | Host immunosuppression | [33] |
| Toxoplasma gondii | hPTM & chromatin-modifying proteins | (E): nd, (T): IFN signaling, transcription factor STAT1 | Host immunosuppression | [99] |
| Anaplasma phagocytophilum | hPTM & chromatin-modifying proteins | (E): HDAC1, (T): Histone H3 | Host immunosuppression | [100] |
IFN, Interferon; MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase; HAC/HDAC, Histone acetylase/deacetylase; HMTs, Histone methyltransferase; DAM, DNA Adenine Methyltransferase; DNMT, DNA methyltransferase.