A WRKY transcription factor confers broad-spectrum resistance to biotic stresses and yield stability in rice
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Plants are subject to attack by diverse pests and pathogens. Few genes conferring broad-spectrum resistance to both insects and pathogens have been identified. Because of the growth–defense tradeoff, it is often challenging to balance biotic stress resistance and yield for crops. Here, we report that OsWRKY36 suppresses the resistance to insects and pathogens via transcriptional repression of Phenylalanine Ammonia Lyases ( PALs ), a key enzyme in phenylpropanoid pathway in rice. Knocking out OsWRKY36 causes elevated lignin biosynthesis and increased sclerenchyma thickness of leaf sheath, leading to enhanced resistance to multiple pests and pathogens. Additionally, loss of OsWRKY36 also derepresses the transcription of Ideal Plant Architecture 1 ( IPA1 ) and MONOCULM2 ( MOC2 ), resulting in increased spikelet number per panicle and tiller number. These findings provide mechanistic insights into biotic stress tolerance in rice and offer a promising strategy to breed rice cultivars with broad-spectrum resistance to insects and pathogens while maintaining stable yield.
Authors: Daoming Liu, Jun He, Qi Li, Xiao Zhang, Yongsheng Wang, Quanguang Sun, Wenhui Wang, Menglong Zhang, Yunlong Wang, Haosen Xu, Liang Fang, Ling Jiang, Shijia Liu, Liangming Chen, Yunlu Tian, Xi Liu, Ruyi Wang, Zhengguang Zhang, Mawsheng Chern, Xiaoou Dong, Haiyang Wang, Yuqiang Liu, Pamela C. Ronald, Jianmin Wan
Institutions: Nanjing Agricultural University, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, University of California System, University of California, Davis, Institute of Crop Sciences, Joint BioEnergy Institute
Language: English
Subfield: Insect Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: hybrid
Funders: U.S. Department of Energy, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Kyung Hee University, Government of Jiangsu Province, Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Office of Science, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, National Key Research and Development Program of China, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Biological and Environmental Research, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Awards: G1079818582, G1143651532, G1158858239, G1286236842, G1337544421, G1884460911, G2131338996, G223002938, G2897193196, G3083819904, G3114243037, G3197575452, G3781825126, G3801794170, G39672304, G419881185, G4286567804, G42916606, G4501827968, G498139845, G5002214278, G5009223078, G5022056723, G5171816368, G5303073018, G5409741434, G6652958823, G6663900756, G704498496, G7241353584, G7354628648, G7629732441, G7787287669, G7895094978, G810294558, G8126228643, G8516906914, G8542475798, G8772284086, Sulfotyrosine, an essential determinant for diverse protein-protein interactions, G969889393
OpenAlex ID: W4408217416