The WRKY Transcription Factor GmWRKY40 Enhances Soybean Resistance to <i>Phytophthora sojae</i> via the Jasmonic Acid Pathway.

ABSTRACT: Phytophthora root and stem rot is a destructive soybean disease worldwide, and thus improving soybean resistance to P. sojae is a major breeding target. However, the complex regulatory networks governing host defense remain unclear. Our previous study showed that GmWRKY40 positively regulates resistance of soybean to P. sojae. Here, to explore its molecular mechanism, we found that GmWRKY40 is induced by P. sojae in resistant cultivars and that the protein localizes in nucleus. RNA-seq and metabolomic analyses revealed that GmWRKY40 modulates the jasmonate (JA) signaling pathway. We then found that GmWRKY40 directly suppresses the key JA repressor GmJAZ1 by binding to the promoter. This leads to higher endogenous JA levels, and the overall state of

SUBMITTER: Gao H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12730507 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature