WRKY41 — Oryza sativa Japonica

Summary

OsWRKY41 (Os08g0386200) on rice chromosome 8 encodes a WRKY domain-containing transcription factor with DNA-binding, calcium ion binding, and protein serine/threonine kinase activity. It is associated with the regulation of defense responses to nematodes and insects, positive regulation of salicylic acid-mediated signaling, brassinosteroid metabolism, root system development, and root meristem growth. The gene has been linked to phosphate and iron homeostasis, cold stress, and nitrogen responses. Associations with agronomically important traits include seed length, weight, and size, grain shape and yield, plant height, tiller number, leaf angle, flowering time, chilling and high temperature stress responses, photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll content, and disease tolerance. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to salicylic acid and jasmonic acid signaling, disease resistance, and glucosinolate hydrolysis.