FROM ARABIDOPSIS TO CROPS: THREE DECADES OF WRKY TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR NETWORKS UNDER BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC STRESS

Abstract

Over the past three decades, WRKY transcription factors have been identified as central regulators of plant stress-responsive translational networks. Early Studies in the mid-1990s identified WRKY proteins as pathogen-responsive transcriptional factors in Arabidopsis thaliana, and their domain structure, DNA-binding specificity, and role in salicylic acid-mediated defense signaling pathways were revealed. The further expansion of genomic resources following the year 2010 enabled the identification of expanded WRKY gene families in major crops, which exhibited significant levels of gene duplication, divergence, and stress-responsive expression. Despite the present rapid advancement, the use of WRKY-based genetic manipulation strategies to improve crop performance has been inconsistent. This review integrates the previous thirty years of WRKY research from a translational standpoint. This review is organized around three interconnected themes: the bibliometric data, which reveal changes in methodology, species bias, and stress imbalance in the literature. Next, we look at the conserved regulatory features revealed in Arabidopsis, such as autoregulation, WRKY gene cross-regulation, and hormone regulation. The proliferation of WRKY gene families in polyploid agricultural species is also discussed from the standpoint of gene duplication and redundancy. Finally, we examine the structural hurdles to translational success by contrasting successful and unsuccessful translation initiatives. Finally, we propose a network-centric approach to future WRKY research that focuses on combinatorial perturbation, quantitative modulation, and field validation. Future progress will depend on understanding how WRKY regulatory logic can be harnessed to enhance stress resilience while maintaining productivity in stress responses; the essential question now is how WRKY's regulatory logic might be used to improve stress tolerance while preserving plant productivity.