The role of WRKY transcription factors in plant abiotic stresses

The WRKY gene family has been suggested to play important roles in the regulation of transcriptional reprogramming associated with plant stress responses. Modification of the expression patterns of WRKY genes and/or changes in their activity contribute to the elaboration of various signaling pathways and regulatory networks. Furthermore, a single WRKY gene often responds to several stress factors, and then their proteins may participate in the regulation of several seemingly disparate processes as negative or positive regulators. WRKY proteins also function via protein–protein interaction and autoregulation or cross-regulation is extensively recorded among WRKY genes, which help us understand the complex mechanisms of signaling and transcriptional reprogramming controlled by WRKY proteins. Here, we review recent progress made in starting to reveal the role of WRKY transcription factors in plant abiotic stresses. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Plant gene regulation in response to abiotic stress.

► WRKY gene super-family, one of the largest transcription factor gene families, has been suggested to play important roles in the regulation of transcriptional reprogramming associated with plant stress responses. ► Modification of the expression patterns of WRKY genes and/or changes in their activity contributes to the elaboration of various signaling pathways and regulatory networks. ► A single WRKY gene often responds to several stress factors, and then their proteins may participate in the regulation of several seemingly disparate processes as negative or positive regulators. ► WRKY proteins function via protein–protein interaction and auto-regulation or cross-regulation exists extensively in the WRKY family.