Transcription factor WRKY30 mediates resistance to Cucumber mosaic virus in Arabidopsis

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications Vol. 517; no. 1; pp. 118 - 124
• Main Authors: Zou, Lijuan, Yang, Feng, Ma, Yonghong, Wu, Qinggui, Yi, Kexian, Zhang, Dawei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 10-09-2019
• Subjects: Antiviral defense; Arabidopsis - genetics; Arabidopsis - virology; Arabidopsis Proteins - genetics; Brassinosteroid; CMV; Cucumovirus - physiology; Disease Resistance; DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Plant Diseases - genetics; Plant Diseases - virology; Plants, Genetically Modified - genetics; Plants, Genetically Modified - virology; Transcription factor; Transcription Factors - genetics; Up-Regulation; WRKY30; Antiviral defense; Brassinosteroid; WRKY30; Transcription factor; CMV
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.07.030

WRKY transcription factors are key regulators in regulating abiotic or biotic stress response in Arabidopsis. Previous studies showed that WRKY30 expression was induced by oxidative stress treatment, fungal elicitor, SA and ABA. However, functions of WRKY30 on viral defense are not well studied. Here, we found that Arabidopsis WRKY DNA binding protein 30 (WRKY30) plays essential roles in regulating Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) resistance. The expression of WRKY30 was induced by CMV infection and wrky30 mutant displayed more susceptibility (including higher oxidative damages, induced reactive oxygen species synthesis and more PSII photochemistry compromise), while WRKY30 overexpression plants (WRKY30OX) exhibited more resistance to CMV infection. Moreover BRs-induced CMV tolerance is partly dependent on WRKY30. And WRKY30 expression increased after BL treatment. All these demonstrated that WRKY30 works as a positive regulator in plant CMV resistance process.
•WRKY30 works as a positive regulator in plant CMV resistance process.•WRKY30 plays critical roles in alleviating photosystem damage after CMV infection.•Involvement of antioxidant system in WRKY30-mediated CMV defense.•WRKY30 regulates defense-associated genes expression in response to CMV.•BRs-induced CMV resistance is partially dependent on WRKY30.