Can WRKY transcription factors help plants to overcome environmental challenges?

Vívian Ebeling Viana,Luciano Carlos da Maia,Antonio Costa de Oliveira,Carlos Busanello,Taciane Finatto,Leomar Guilherme Woyann

doi:10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2017-0232

Vívian Ebeling Viana, Luciano Carlos da Maia + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2017-0232

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Abstract

WRKY transcription factors (TFs) are responsible for the regulation of genes responsive to many plant growth and developmental cues, as well as to biotic and abiotic stresses. The modulation of gene expression by WRKY proteins primarily occurs by DNA binding at specific cis-regulatory elements, the W-box elements, which are short sequences located in the promoter region of certain genes. In addition, their action can occur through interaction with other TFs and the cellular transcription machinery. The current genome sequences available reveal a relatively large number of WRKY genes, reaching hundreds of copies. Recently, functional genomics studies in model plants have enabled the identification of function and mechanism of action of several WRKY TFs in plants. This review addresses the more recent studies in plants regarding the function of WRKY TFs in both model and crop plants for coping with environmental challenges, including a wide variety of abiotic and biotic stresses.

Highlights

Plants are continuously exposed to environmental stresses, such as variations in temperature, nutrient content and availability in the soil, rain availability, and pest/pathogen attacks
The transcriptional regulation is mediated by recruitment of Transcription factors (TFs) that recognize and bind to cis-regulatory elements (CREs), which are short sequences present in the promoter regions of genes
Given the importance of this transcription factor family and its relation to biotic and abiotic stresses, the objective of this review was to survey the current knowledge on the regulation, activity, and targets of WRKY family TFs, as well as to give an overview of the main studies about losses and gains of function of WRKY genes in different plant species

Summary

Introduction

Plants are continuously exposed to environmental stresses, such as variations in temperature, nutrient content and availability in the soil, rain availability, and pest/pathogen attacks. Their exposure to this range of stresses unleashes responses at various levels. Transcription factors (TFs) are proteins that regulate gene transcription, and any change in their activity dynamically alters the transcriptome, causing metabolic and phenotypic changes in response to a given environmental stimulus (Mitsuda and Ohme-Takagi, 2009). The transcriptional regulation is mediated by recruitment of TFs that recognize and bind to cis-regulatory elements (CREs), which are short sequences present in the promoter regions of genes. TFs interact with CREs, other TFs, and with the basal transcription machin-

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