biostudies-literatureUnknown9Huang HParasitic root-knot nematodes (RKNs) cause a severe reduction in crop yield and seriously threaten agricultural production. The phytohormones jasmonates (JAs) are important signals regulating resistance to multiple biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the molecular mechanism for JAs-regulated defense against RKNs in tomato remains largely unclear. In this study, we found that the transcription factor SlWRKY45 interacted with most JA-ZIM domain family proteins (JAZs), key repressors of the JA signaling. After infection by the RKN <i>Meloidogyne incognita</i>, the <i>slwrky45</i> mutants exhibited lower gall numbers and egg numbers per gram of roots than wild type, whereas overexpression of <i>SlWRKY45</i> attenuated resistance to <i>Meloidogyne incognita</i>. Under <i>M. incognita</i> infeHorticulture researchuhac197https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9630973biostudies-literatureSlWRKY45 interacts with jasmonate-ZIM domain proteins to negatively regulate defense against the root-knot nematode <i>Meloidogyne incognita</i> in tomato.PMC9630973Sun LQiao HLi CWang SHuang HZhao WMa XSong SYang RMa JfalseSlWRKY45 interacts with jasmonate-ZIM domain proteins to negatively regulate defense against the root-knot nematode <i>Meloidogyne incognita</i> in tomato.Parasitic root-knot nematodes (RKNs) cause a severe reduction in crop yield and seriously threaten agricultural production. The phytohormones jasmonates (JAs) are important signals regulating resistance to multiple biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the molecular mechanism for JAs-regulated defense against RKNs in tomato remains largely unclear. In this study, we found that the transcription factor SlWRKY45 interacted with most JA-ZIM domain family proteins (JAZs), key repressors of the JA signaling. After infection by the RKN <i>Meloidogyne incognita</i>, the <i>slwrky45</i> mutants exhibited lower gall numbers and egg numbers per gram of roots than wild type, whereas overexpression of <i>SlWRKY45</i> attenuated resistance to <i>Meloidogyne incognita</i>. Under <i>M. incognita</i> infe2022-01-01T00:00:00Z20222025-04-04T21:25:02.312Z2025-04-04T21:25:02.312ZS-EPMC96309733633884110.1093/hr/uhac197