WRKY6 — Solanum tuberosum

Summary

StWRKY6 (PGSC0003DMG400016441) on potato chromosome 2 encodes a WRKY family transcription factor with sequence-specific DNA binding, transcription cis-regulatory region binding, and protein homodimerization activity. In potato, StWRKY6 is associated with cadmium tolerance, positive regulation of leaf senescence, abscisic acid-mediated signalling in stomatal movement, inhibition of defence response to bacteria, and response to chitin and viruses. It is also linked to gibberellin metabolism, lignin anabolism, pyruvate anabolism, and meristem maintenance. The gene is associated with traits including leaflet number, chlorophyll content, nitrate uptake, seed size, seed oil content, fatty acid composition, root hair density and elongation, phosphate homeostasis and translocation, cold and freezing tolerance, herbivore resistance, and pathogen defense. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to drought tolerance, fruit ripening, nematode resistance, and resistance to Botrytis cinerea and Ralstonia solanacearum.