WRKY18 — Cucumis sativus

Summary

CsWRKY18 (CSA_4G652000) on cucumber chromosome 4 encodes a WRKY domain-containing transcription factor with DNA-binding, transcription cis-regulatory region binding, and protein dimerization activities. It is associated with sex differentiation and determination, flower formation, regulation of auxin biosynthesis, gibberellin metabolism, anthocyanin metabolism, and carbohydrate anabolism. The gene is linked to responses to water-immersion restraint stress, red/far-red light, thermomorphogenesis, photosynthesis light reactions, and antifungal innate immune regulation. Traits connected to CsWRKY18 include female flowering, fruit set, submergence tolerance, seedling cotyledon size, leaf area, peduncle length, heterosis, and phosphorus and nitrate uptake. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to defense responses, salicylic acid and jasmonate signaling, drought and heat stress tolerance, and flowering time regulation.