A WRKY transcription factor confers broad-spectrum resistance to biotic stresses and yield stability in rice

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Liu, Daoming; He, Jun; Li, Qi; Zhang, Xiao; Wang, Yongsheng; Sun, Quanguang; Wang, Wenhui; Zhang, Menglong; Wang, Yunlong; Xu, Haosen; Fang, Liang; Jiang, Ling; Liu, Shijia; Chen, Liangming; Tian, Yunlu; Liu, Xi; Wang, Ruyi; Zhang, Zhengguang; Chern, Mawsheng; Dong, Xiaoou; Wang, Haiyang; Liu, Yuqiang; Ronald, Pamela C.; Wan, Jianmin
• 署名单位: Nanjing Agricultural University; Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Institute of Plant Protection, CAAS; Nanjing Agricultural University; University of California System; University of California Davis; University of California System; University of California Davis; Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Institute of Crop Sciences, CAAS; United States Department of Energy (DOE); Joint BioEnergy Institute - JBEI
• 刊物名称: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0027-9914
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2411164122
• 发表日期: 2025-03-11
• 关键词: phenylalanine ammonia-lyase; lignin biosynthesis; disease; plant; PATHWAY; PROTECTION; promotes; immunity; DEFENSE; osspl14

摘要

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 ofIdealPlantArchitecture 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.