Functional characterization of CtWRKY70 transcription factor from Cynanchum thesioides in salt and drought stress resistance

Copyright © 2025 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Détails bibliographiques
Publié dans:Journal of plant physiology. - 1979. - 312(2025) vom: 28. Sept., Seite 154575
Auteur principal: Chang, Xiaoyao (Auteur)
Autres auteurs: Zhang, Xiaoyan, Huang, Xiumei, Zhang, Fenglan, Yang, Zhongren
Format: Article en ligne
Langue:English
Publié: 2025
Accès à la collection:Journal of plant physiology
Sujets:Journal Article Abiotic stress Antioxidant defense Cynanchum thesioides Osmoregulation Protein interaction WRKY transcription factor Transcription Factors Plant Proteins
Description
Résumé:Copyright © 2025 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.
The WRKY transcription factor CtWRKY70 from Cynanchum thesioides was functionally characterized to explore its role in abiotic stress responses. CtWRKY70, encoding a 340-amino acid protein from the WRKY Group III subfamily, localizes to the nucleus and exhibits transcriptional activation activity. Its expression is significantly induced by salt and drought stress. Overexpression of CtWRKY70 in Arabidopsis improved tolerance to both stresses, as evidenced by enhanced survival rates, maintained biomass, and preserved chlorophyll content. Transgenic lines exhibited elevated antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, POD) and increased proline accumulation, with CtWRKY70 directly bound to the promoter of the AtSOD1 gene as confirmed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) assays, indicating enhanced ROS scavenging and osmoregulation. In contrast, CtWRKY70-silenced plants showed heightened stress sensitivity, characterized by greater wilting, increased stomatal aperture, and accelerated water loss. Y2H and BiFC assays confirmed the interaction of CtWRKY70 with another stress-responsive WRKY protein, CtWRKY41. These results demonstrate that CtWRKY70 positively regulates drought and salt tolerance by coordinating antioxidant defense and osmotic adjustment. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms of WRKY-mediated stress adaptation in horticultural species, positioning CtWRKY70 as a potential genetic target for improving crop resilience
Description:Date Completed 31.08.2025
Date Revised 31.08.2025
published: Print-Electronic
Citation Status MEDLINE
ISSN:1618-1328
DOI:10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154575