AUTHOR=Ren Liping , Wan Wenyang , Yin Dandan , Deng Xianhui , Ma Zongxin , Gao Ting , Cao Xiaohan 

TITLE=Genome-wide analysis of WRKY transcription factor genes in Toona sinensis: An insight into evolutionary characteristics and terpene synthesis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.1063850

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2022.1063850

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>WRKY</italic> transcription factors (TFs), one of the largest TF families, serve critical roles in the regulation of secondary metabolite production. However, little is known about the expression pattern of <italic>WRKY</italic> genes during the germination and maturation processes of <italic>Toona sinensis</italic> buds. In the present study, the new assembly of the <italic>T. sinensis</italic> genome was used for the identification of 78 <italic>TsWRKY</italic> genes, including gene structures, phylogenetic features, chromosomal locations, conserved protein domains, cis-regulatory elements, synteny, and expression profiles. Gene duplication analysis revealed that gene tandem and segmental duplication events drove the expansion of the <italic>TsWRKYs</italic> family, with the latter playing a key role in the creation of new <italic>TsWRKY</italic> genes. The synteny and evolutionary constraint analyses of the <italic>WRKY</italic> proteins among <italic>T. sinensis</italic> and several distinct species provided more detailed evidence of gene evolution for <italic>TsWRKYs</italic>. Besides, the expression patterns and co-expression network analysis show <italic>TsWRKYs</italic> may multi-genes co-participate in regulating terpenoid biosynthesis. The findings revealed that <italic>TsWRKYs</italic> potentially play a regulatory role in secondary metabolite synthesis, forming the basis for further functional characterization of <italic>WRKY</italic> genes with the intention of improving <italic>T. sinensis</italic>.</p>