WRKY24 — Triticum aestivum

Summary

TRAESCS3D02G341100, designated TaWRKY24 on bread wheat chromosome 3D, encodes a WRKY domain-containing protein with sequence-specific DNA-binding, calmodulin-binding, protein kinase, and transcriptional co-regulator activities. This gene is associated with diverse biological processes including jasmonic acid/ethylene-dependent systemic resistance, regulation of salicylic acid metabolism, abscisic acid-mediated stomatal movement, cellular thermotolerance, and melatonin anabolism. It localizes to the nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria, and cell plate. TaWRKY24 is associated with agronomically important traits such as grain number, stripe rust resistance, salinity and heat tolerance, tiller number, days to heading and flowering, leaf chlorophyll content, and cadmium concentration. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to pathogen defense, phytoalexin biosynthesis, and H₂O₂ homeostasis, and to grain size and abscisic acid/gibberellin signaling.