Abstract
Main conclusion
This review article explores the intricate role, regulation, and signaling mechanisms of WRKY TFs in response to biotic stress, particularly emphasizing their pivotal role in the trophism of plant-pathogen interactions.
Abstract
Transcription factors (TFs) play a vital role in governing both plant defense and development by controlling the expression of various downstream target genes. Early studies have shown the differential expression of certain WRKY transcription factors by microbial infections. Several transcriptome-wide studies later demonstrated that diverse sets of WRKYs are significantly activated in the early stages of viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. Furthermore, functional investigations indicated that overexpression or silencing of certain WRKY genes in plants can drastically alter disease symptoms as well as pathogen multiplication rates. Hence the new aspects of pathogen-triggered WRKY TFs mediated regulation of plant defense can be explored. The already recognized roles of WRKYs include transcriptional regulation of defense-related genes, modulation of hormonal signaling, and participation in signal transduction pathways. Some WRKYs have been shown to directly bind to pathogen effectors, acting as decoys or resistance proteins. Notably, the signaling molecules like salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and ethylene which are associated with plant defense significantly increase the expression of several WRKYs. Moreover, induction of WRKY genes or heightened WRKY activities is also observed during ISR triggered by the beneficial microbes which protect the plants from subsequent pathogen infection. To understand the contribution of WRKY TFs towards disease resistance and their exact metabolic functions in infected plants, further studies are required. This review article explores the intrinsic transcriptional regulation, signaling mechanisms, and hormonal crosstalk governed by WRKY TFs in plant disease defense response, particularly emphasizing their specific role against different biotrophic, hemibiotrophic, and necrotrophic pathogen infections.
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Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Ms. Lani Archer, University of North Texas (USA), for her contribution in editing and improving the English language of the manuscript.
Funding
Mrunmay Kumar Giri acknowledges the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Govt of India, Project Number-ECR/2018/001179 for providing financial support to his laboratory. Mrunmay Kumar Giri also acknowledges infrastructure support available through the Department of Biotechnology, Govt of India, DBT-BUILDER program (BT/INF/22/SP42155/2021) at KIIT deemed to be University, India. Deepak Kumar acknowledges the Science and Engineering Research Board (EEQ/2021/000593), India for providing financial support to the laboratory. Deepak Kumar also acknowledges funding support to his lab from the Institution of Eminence Seed Grant (Dev. scheme No. 6031 (B) and RS acknowledge Malaviya Post Doctoral Fellowship (MPDF) under IoE Scheme, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
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Saha, B., Nayak, J., Srivastava, R. et al. Unraveling the involvement of WRKY TFs in regulating plant disease defense signaling. Planta 259, 7 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-023-04269-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-023-04269-y