WRKY transcription factor superfamily: Structure, origin and functions

WRKY transcription factors are transcriptional regulatory factors in which N-terminal ends contain the WRKYGQR amino acid sequence and a zinc-finger motif. WRKY transcription factors can regulate the expression of target genes that contain the W-box elements (C/T)TGAC(C/T) in the promoter regions by specifically binding to the (C/T)TGAC(C/T) sequence. WRKY transcription factors regulate the expression of pathogen-induced, senescence-induced, abscisic acid (ABA)-induced, gibberellic acid (GA)-induced and salcylic acid (SA)-induced genes and play an important role in the regulation of plant growth and development as well as in their response to many kinds of biotic and abiotic stress. The progress of research on the basic structure, origin and biological function of plant WRKY transcription factor in recent years was reviewed in this paper.