The WRKY gene family is among the largest families of transcription factors （TFs） in higher plants. By regulating the plant hormone signal transduction pathway, these TFs play critical roles in some plant processes ...The WRKY gene family is among the largest families of transcription factors （TFs） in higher plants. By regulating the plant hormone signal transduction pathway, these TFs play critical roles in some plant processes in response to biotic and abiotic stress, Various bodies of research have demonstrated the important biological functions of WRKY TFs in plant response to different kinds of biotic and abiotic stresses and working mecha- nisms. However, very li2ttle summarization has been done to review their research progress. Not iust important TFs function in plant response to biotic and abiotic stresses, WRKY also participates in carbohydrate synthesis, senes- cence, development, and secondary metabolites synthesis. WRKY proteins can bind to W-box （TGACC （A/T）） in the promoter of its target genes and activate or repress the expression of downstream genes to regulate their stress response. Moreover, WRKY proteins can interact with other TFs to regulate plant defensive responses. In the present review, we focus on the structural characteristics of WRKY TFs and the research progress on their functions in plant responses to a variety of stresses.展开更多
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31301790)Guangdong Natural Science Foundation (S2013040016220)+1 种基金China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2013M530375,2014T70827)Shenzhen Vegetable Molecular Biotechnological Engineering Lab Scheme (Development and Reform Commission of Shenzhen Municipal Government)
文摘The WRKY gene family is among the largest families of transcription factors （TFs） in higher plants. By regulating the plant hormone signal transduction pathway, these TFs play critical roles in some plant processes in response to biotic and abiotic stress, Various bodies of research have demonstrated the important biological functions of WRKY TFs in plant response to different kinds of biotic and abiotic stresses and working mecha- nisms. However, very li2ttle summarization has been done to review their research progress. Not iust important TFs function in plant response to biotic and abiotic stresses, WRKY also participates in carbohydrate synthesis, senes- cence, development, and secondary metabolites synthesis. WRKY proteins can bind to W-box （TGACC （A/T）） in the promoter of its target genes and activate or repress the expression of downstream genes to regulate their stress response. Moreover, WRKY proteins can interact with other TFs to regulate plant defensive responses. In the present review, we focus on the structural characteristics of WRKY TFs and the research progress on their functions in plant responses to a variety of stresses.
