WRKY46 — Triticum aestivum

Summary

TRAESCS3D02G354700, designated TaWRKY49 (also known as WRKY46, WRKY56, or TaWRKY56-3D) on bread wheat chromosome 3D, encodes a WRKY domain-containing protein that localises to the nucleus and is annotated with sequence-specific DNA-binding and transcription factor activity. The gene is associated with leaf rust resistance and linked to responses to bacterial and fungal molecules, chitin, salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, ethylene, and abscisic acid, as well as downregulation of gibberellic acid and abscisic acid signalling. Associations with agronomic traits include grain yield, grain weight, grain length and width, spike length, ear number, grains per spike, plant height, anthesis time, shoot and root biomass, seed germination, photosynthetic rate, water use efficiency, and tolerance to drought, heat, cold, freezing, and stem and stripe rust. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to spikelet number and leaf blast disease response.