Unravelling the role of WRKY transcription factors in leaf senescence: Genetic and molecular insights

Zishan Ahmad; Muthusamy Ramakrishnan; Chunyue Wang; Shamsur Rehman; Anwar Shahzad; Qiang Wei

doi:10.1016/j.jare.2024.09.026

Unravelling the role of WRKY transcription factors in leaf senescence: Genetic and molecular insights

J Adv Res. 2024 Oct 1:S2090-1232(24)00428-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.09.026. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Zishan Ahmad¹, Muthusamy Ramakrishnan¹, Chunyue Wang¹, Shamsur Rehman², Anwar Shahzad³, Qiang Wei⁴

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Centre for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Bamboo Research Institute, Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Subtropical Forest Biodiversity Conservation, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, Jiangsu, China.
² National Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement, Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Agriculture Sciences in Weifang, Weifang 261325, China.
³ Plant Biotechnology Section, Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Centre for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Bamboo Research Institute, Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Subtropical Forest Biodiversity Conservation, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, Jiangsu, China. Electronic address: weiqiang@njfu.edu.cn.

PMID: 39362333
DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.09.026

Abstract

Background: Leaf senescence (LS), the final phase in leaf development, is an important and precisely regulated process crucial for plant well-being and the redistribution of nutrients. It is intricately controlled by various regulatory factors, including WRKY transcription factors (TFs). WRKYs are one of the most significant plant TF families, and several of them are differentially regulated and important during LS. Recent research has enhanced our understanding of the structural and functional characteristics of WRKY TFs, providing insights into their regulatory roles.

Aim of review: This review aims to elucidate the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying the intricate regulatory networks associated with LS by investigating the role of WRKY TFs. We seek to highlight the importance of WRKY-mediated signaling pathways in understanding LS, plant evolution, and response to varying environmental conditions.

Key scientific concepts of review: WRKY TFs exhibit specific DNA-binding activity at the N-terminus and dynamic interactions of the intrinsically disordered domain at the C-terminus with various proteins. These WRKY TFs not only control the activity of other WRKYs, but also interact with either WRKYs or other TFs, thereby fine- tuning the expression of target genes. By unraveling the complex interactions and regulatory mechanisms of WRKY TFs, this review broadens our knowledge of the genetic and molecular basis of LS. Understanding WRKY-mediated signalling pathways provides crucial insights into specific aspects of plant development, such as stress-induced senescence, and offers potential strategies for improving crop resilience to environmental stresses like drought and pathogen attacks. By targeting these pathways, it may be possible to enhance specific productivity traits, such as increased yield stability under adverse conditions, thereby contributing to more reliable agricultural outputs.

Keywords: Crop improvement; Gene regulation; Leaf aging; Senescence associated gene (SAGs); Transcription factors.

Publication types

Review