WRKY33 — Brassica juncea

Summary

BJUA05G06440S (WRKY33) on Indian mustard chromosome A05 encodes a WRKY transcription factor with sequence-specific DNA binding, calmodulin binding, and protein kinase activity. It is associated with diverse biological processes including jasmonic acid/ethylene-dependent systemic resistance, salicylic acid-mediated signaling, camalexin anabolism, cellular thermotolerance, hypotonic salinity response, and positive regulation of leaf senescence. The gene is linked to agronomically important traits such as drought tolerance, water use efficiency, disease tolerance, salt tolerance, cadmium concentration, aluminum response, flowering time, seed growth and development, root morphology, and stomatal closure. It localizes to the nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria, and cell plate. Studies of related genes in other species connect it to pathogen defense, camalexin production, MAP kinase signaling, and reactive oxygen species homeostasis.