Transcription factor McWRKY71 induced by ozone stress regulates anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin biosynthesis in Malus crabapple

Junkang Zhang; Yicheng Wang; Zuolin Mao; Weina Liu; Licheng Ding; Xiaonan Zhang; Yuwei Yang; Shuqing Wu; Xuesen Chen; Yanling Wang

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety (Mar 2022)

Transcription factor McWRKY71 induced by ozone stress regulates anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin biosynthesis in Malus crabapple

Junkang Zhang,
Yicheng Wang,
Zuolin Mao,
Weina Liu,
Licheng Ding,
Xiaonan Zhang,
Yuwei Yang,
Shuqing Wu,
Xuesen Chen,
Yanling Wang

Affiliations

Junkang Zhang: College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China; State Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Silviculture in Downstream Areas of the Yellow River, Taian 271018, China
Yicheng Wang: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China
Zuolin Mao: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China
Weina Liu: College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China; State Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Silviculture in Downstream Areas of the Yellow River, Taian 271018, China
Licheng Ding: College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China; State Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Silviculture in Downstream Areas of the Yellow River, Taian 271018, China
Xiaonan Zhang: College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China; State Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Silviculture in Downstream Areas of the Yellow River, Taian 271018, China
Yuwei Yang: College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China; State Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Silviculture in Downstream Areas of the Yellow River, Taian 271018, China
Shuqing Wu: College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China; State Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Silviculture in Downstream Areas of the Yellow River, Taian 271018, China
Xuesen Chen: State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China
Yanling Wang: College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China; State Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Silviculture in Downstream Areas of the Yellow River, Taian 271018, China; Corresponding author at: College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 232
p. 113274

Abstract

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In plants, anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins (PAs) play important roles in plant resistance to abiotic stress. In this study, ozone (O3) treatments caused the up-regulation of Malus crabapple structural genes McANS, McCHI, McANR and McF3H, which promoted anthocyanin and PA accumulation. We identified the WRKY transcription factor (TF) McWRKY71 by screening differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were highly expressed in response to O3 stress from an RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis. Overexpressing McWRKY71 increased the resistance of ‘Orin’ apple calli to O3 stress and promoted the accumulation of anthocyanins and PAs, which facilitated reactive oxygen species scavenging to further enhance O3 tolerance. Biochemical and molecular analyses showed that McWRKY71 interacted with McMYB12 and directly bound the McANR promoter to participate in the regulation of PA biosynthesis. These findings provide new insights into the WRKY TFs mechanisms that regulate the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, which respond to O3 stress, in Malus crabapple.

Published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

ISSN: 0147-6513 (Print); 1090-2414 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Technology: Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering: Environmental pollution; Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Environmental sciences
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/ecotoxicology-and-environmental-safety

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