title: Constitutive expression of the poplar WRKY transcription factor PtoWRKY60 enhances resistance to Dothiorella gregaria Sacc. in transgenic plants.
abstract: WRKY proteins are involved in various physiological processes in plants, especially in coping with diverse biotic and abiotic stresses. However, limited information is available on the roles of specific WRKY transcription factors in poplar defense. In this study, we reported the characterization of PtoWRKY60, a Group IIa WRKY member, from Populus tomentosa Carr. The gene expression profile of PtoWRKY60 in various tissues showed that it significantly accumulated in old leaves. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that PtoWRKY60 had a close relationship with AtWRKY18, AtWRKY40 and AtWRKY60. PtoWRKY60 was induced mainly by salicylic acid (SA) and slightly by Dothiorella gregaria Sacc., jasmonic acid, wounding treatment, low temperature and salinity stresses. Overexpression of PtoWRKY60 in poplar resulted in increased resistance to D. gregaria. The defense-associated genes, such as PR5.1, PR5.2, PR5.4, PR5.5 and CPR5, were markedly up-regulated in transgenic plants overexpressing PtoWRKY60. These results indicate that PtoWRKY60 might be partly involved in the signal transduction pathway initiated by SA in Populus.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Eco-environments of Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Transgenic Plant and Safety Control, Institute of Resources Botany, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China.
authors.forename: Shenglong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Eco-environments of Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Transgenic Plant and Safety Control, Institute of Resources Botany, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China.
authors.forename: Yuanzhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Eco-environments of Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Transgenic Plant and Safety Control, Institute of Resources Botany, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China.
authors.forename: Yanjiao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Eco-environments of Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Transgenic Plant and Safety Control, Institute of Resources Botany, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China.
authors.forename: Abdul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karim
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Eco-environments of Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Transgenic Plant and Safety Control, Institute of Resources Botany, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China.
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Eco-environments of Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Transgenic Plant and Safety Control, Institute of Resources Botany, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Eco-environments of Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Transgenic Plant and Safety Control, Institute of Resources Botany, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008, China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Eco-environments of Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Transgenic Plant and Safety Control, Institute of Resources Botany, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008, China kemingl@swu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Keming
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D001203:Ascomycota; D003080:Cold Temperature; D003517:Cyclopentanes / Q000494:pharmacology; D060467:Disease Resistance; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D009928:Organ Specificity; D054883:Oxylipins / Q000494:pharmacology; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology; D032107:Populus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology; D020156:Salicylic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D054712:Salinity; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003517:Cyclopentanes; D054883:Oxylipins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C011006:jasmonic acid; D020156:Salicylic Acid
keywords: Populus; pathogen; salicylic acid