WRKY40 — Arabidopsis thaliana

Summary

AT1G80840 (WRKY40) encodes a WRKY DNA-binding protein with sequence-specific DNA binding, protein dimerization, and promoter-specific chromatin binding activities. In Arabidopsis thaliana, WRKY40 is associated with responses to drought, E-2-hexenal, salicylic acid, ethylene, and jasmonate signaling, as well as susceptibility to bacterial infection. The gene is linked to regulation of photosynthesis, anthocyanin metabolism, auxin biosynthesis, thermomorphogenesis, immune response, and stomatal opening. It is also associated with traits including submergence tolerance, drought sensitivity, leaf area, seed germination, fruit set, and nitrate transport. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to bacterial resistance, heat tolerance, fruit ripening, and defense responses, though these associations are not established for the Arabidopsis gene itself.