WRKY24 — Triticum aestivum

Summary

TRAESCS1A02G070400, designated TaWRKY33 (synonyms WRKY24, WRKY53, TaWRKY53-1A), encodes a WRKY domain-containing transcription factor on bread wheat chromosome 1A. The protein localises to the nucleus and exhibits sequence-specific DNA binding, transcription cis-regulatory region binding, protein homodimerization activity, and promoter-specific chromatin binding. TaWRKY33 is associated with heat tolerance, regulation of antifungal innate immune response, abscisic acid-mediated signalling in stomatal movement, defence response by callose deposition, positive regulation of leaf senescence, and stress-activated MAPK cascades. It has been linked to numerous agronomic traits including flour protein content, grain weight per spike, thousand grain weight, grain length, spikelet number, ear weight, peduncle length, awn length, test weight, stem rust and stripe rust responses, salt response, and cold tolerance at booting stage. Related genes in other species connect the family to pathogen resistance, grain yield under cold stress, senescence, seed germination, and brassinosteroid signalling.