Molecular Cloning, Sequence Analysis and Expression Analysis of an NtWRKY6 from Tobacco (<i>Nicotiana tabacum</i> L.) in Abiotic Strsss

Abstract

In higher plants, WRKY gene family plays a significant role in transcriptional regulation. They are widely involved in biotic stress, abiotic stress, growth, development and metabolism regulation. In this study WRKY6 from tobacco is cloned by homology cloning. 1647 nucleotide sequences were obtained. The deduced protein sequences show that this protein belongs to the second group of WRKY family, only have one WRKY structure, and the zinc-finger structure is C-X 4 -C-X 23 -H-X 1 -H. Phylogeny results show NtWRKY6 is much closer to NtWRKY1 generated 97% amino acids similarity. RT-PCR analysis has revealed that expression levels of NtWRKY6 has increased rapidly at 3 h under NaCI and PEG treatment. The results suggest that NtWRKY6 is an early responder and may be involved in NaCl and PEG abiotic stress in tobacco.

The Role of Major Transcription Factors in Solanaceous Food Crops under Different Stress Conditions: Current and Future Perspectives

“…Similarly, SlWRKY72 gene has a significant role in basal immunity and makes the plant withstand the pathogen attack when the pathogen gets conducive environment and has shown a positive role in abiotic stress tolerance. The WRKY genes studied so far in major solanaceous crop have mostly shown upregulation under different extremities like drought, salt, heat, cold and other different stresses which obstruct the plant from finishing their life cycle and producing the genetically expected yield as shown in Table 2 [63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72][73]. Therefore, these genes can be used in developing drought tolerant transgenic plant in areas where water shortage is very troublesome.…”