WRKY转录因子超家族的研究

WRKY转录因子是一类能与W盒特异结合的DNA结合蛋白,最初从植物中分离获得,该家族因子均含有一个或两个保守的WRKY结构域,该结构域约含有60个氨基酸残基,在WRKYGQK残基核心序列之后接有一个C2H2或C2HC类型的锌指基序。WRKY转录因子在高等植物中形成一个庞大的基因家族,基因数量众多。大量的实验证据说明,WRKY蛋白参与植物的抗病反应,并影响植物的衰老、抗胁迫能力以及生长和发育。     

Identification of a novel type of WRKY transcription factor binding site in elicitor-responsive cis-sequences from Arabidopsis thaliana

Using a combination of bioinformatics and synthetic promoters, novel elicitor-responsive cis-sequences were discovered in promoters of pathogen-upregulated genes from Arabidopsis thaliana. One group of functional sequences contains the conserved core sequence GACTTTT. This core sequence and adjacent nucleotides are essential for elicitor-responsive gene expression in a parsley protoplast system. By yeast one-hybrid screening, WRKY70 was selected with a cis-sequence harbouring the core sequence GACTTTT but no known WRKY binding site (W-box). Transactivation experiments, mutation analyses, and electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrate that the sequence CGACTTTT is the binding site for WRKY70 in the investigated cis-sequence and is required for WRKY70-activated gene expression. Using several cis-sequences in transactivation experiments and binding studies, the CGACTTTT sequence can be extended to propose YGACTTTT as WRKY70 binding site. This binding site, designated WT-box, is enriched in promoters of genes upregulated in a WRKY70 overexpressing line. Interestingly, functional WRKY70 binding sites are present in the promoter of WRKY30, supporting recent evidence that both factors play a role in the same regulatory network.     

WRKY转录因子功能的多样化

WRKY是植物中一类重要的转录因子家族,其共同的特点是含有高度保守的核心氨基酸序列WRKYGQK,在C-末端有一个锌指结构。WRKY受到病原菌、损伤、SA(salicylic acid)等因子的诱导后表达,特异性识别(T)(T)TGAC(C/T)序列(W-box),调节基因的表达而参与许多生理过程,如抗病、损伤、生长发育以及衰老等。该文主要介绍了WRKY的结构特点及其功能的研究进展。