Overexpression of ZmWRKY65 transcription factor from maize confers stress resistances in transgenic Arabidopsis

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 4024 - 15
• Main Authors: Huo, Tong, Wang, Chang-Tao, Yu, Tai-Fei, Wang, Da-Ming, Li, Meng, Zhao, Dan, Li, Xiu-Ting, Fu, Jin-Dong, Xu, Zhao-Shi, Song, Xin-Yuan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 17.02.2021; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/449/2661/2665; 631/449/2661/2666; Abscisic acid; Arabidopsis; Arabidopsis - genetics; Cell Nucleus - metabolism; Corn; Drought; Environmental factors; Gene Expression - genetics; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant - genetics; Genes; Germination - drug effects; Heat resistance; High temperature; Humanities and Social Sciences; Low temperature; Mesophyll; multidisciplinary; Pathogens; Plant Growth Regulators - genetics; Plant hormones; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plants, Genetically Modified - genetics; Promoter Regions, Genetic - drug effects; Protoplasts; Protoplasts - metabolism; Regulatory sequences; Salicylic acid; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Seed germination; Signal transduction; Stomata; Stress, Physiological - genetics; Stress, Physiological - physiology; Transcription factors; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Transcriptome - genetics; Transgenic plants; Zea mays - genetics; Zea mays - metabolism
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83440-5

Plant-specific WRKY transcription factors play important roles in regulating the expression of defense-responsive genes against pathogen attack. A multiple stress-responsive WRKY gene, ZmWRKY65 , was identified in maize by screening salicylic acid (SA)-induced de novo transcriptomic sequences. The ZmWRKY65 protein was localized in the nucleus of mesophyll protoplasts. The analysis of the ZmWRKY65 promoter sequence indicated that it contains several stress-related transcriptional regulatory elements. Many environmental factors affecting the transcription of ZmWRKY65 gene, such as drought, salinity, high temperature and low temperature stress. Moreover, the transcription of ZmWRKY65 gene was also affected by the induction of defense related plant hormones such as SA and exogenous ABA. The results of seed germination and stomatal aperture assays indicated that transgenic Arabidopsis plants exhibit enhanced sensitivity to ABA and high concentrations of SA. Overexpression of ZmWRKY65 improved tolerance to both pathogen attack and abiotic stress in transgenic Arabidopsis plants and activated several stress-related genes such as RD29A , ERD10 , and STZ as well as pathogenesis-related ( PR ) genes such as PR1 , PR2 and PR5 ; these genes are involved in resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses in Arabidopsis . Together, this evidence implies that the ZmWRKY65 gene is involved in multiple stress signal transduction pathways.