A WRKY transcription factor PbrWRKY53 from Pyrus betulaefolia is involved in drought tolerance and AsA accumulation.

ABSTRACT: WRKY comprises a large family of transcription factors in plants, but most WRKY members are still poorly understood. In this study, we report the identification and functional characterization of PbrWRKY53 isolated from Pyrus betulaefolia. PbrWRKY53 was greatly up-regulated by drought and abscisic acid, but slightly induced by salt and cold. Subcellar localization analyses showed that PbrWRKY53 was located in the nucleus. Ectopic expression of PbrWRKY53 in tobacco and Pyrus ussuriensis conferred enhanced tolerance to drought stress. The transgenic plants exhibited better water status, less reactive oxygen species generation and higher levels of antioxidant enzyme activities and metabolites than the wild type. In addition, overexpression of PbrWRKY53 in transgenic tobacco resulted in enhanc

SUBMITTER: Liu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6686137 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature