
 Saline-alkali is one important abiotic stressor influencing tomato production. Exogenous MeJA is well known to increase tomato resistance to a variety of stresses, although its exact mechanism is yet unknown. In this study, we confirmed that 22.5 μmol/L MeJA could significantly improve the saline-alkali stress resistance of tomato.
 300 mM saline-alkali stress increased the endogenous MeJA and JA content in tomato by 18.8% and 13.4%, respectively. Exogenous application of 22.5 μmol/L MeJA increased the endogenous MeJA and JA content in tomato by 15.2% and 15.9%, respectively. Furthermore, we found an important transcription factor SlWRKY80 wihch respond to MeJA, and constructed its overexpressed and knockout lines through genetic transformation. It was found that SlWRKY80 actively regulated tomato resistance to saline-alkali stress, and the spraying of exogenous MeJA (22.5 μmol/L) reduced the sensitivity of SlWRKY80 knockout lines to saline-alkali stress. The SlWRKY80 protein directly combines with the promoter of SlSPDS2 and SlNHX4 to positively regulate the transcription of SlSPDS2 and SlNHX4, thereby promoting the synthesis of spermidine and Na+/K+ homeostasis, actively regulate saline-alkali stress. The augmentation of JA content led to a notable reduction of 70.6% in the expression of SlJAZ1, the SlWRKY80 protein interacting with SlJAZ1 is released. In conclusion, we revealed the mechanism of exogenous MeJA in tomato stress resistance through multiple metabolic pathways, elucidated that exogenous MeJA further promotes spermidine synthesis and Na+/K+ homeostasis by activating the expression of SlWRKY80, which provided a new theoretical basis for the study of JA stress resistance mechanism and the actual production of tomato.

SlWRKY80-mediated JA pathway positively regulates tomato resistance to saline-alkali stress by enhancing spermidine content and stabilizing Na+/K+ homeostasis

Drought severely limits crop growth and development, reducing productivity. WRKY transcription factors play crucial roles in regulating diverse aspects of plant growth, development, and responses to stress. Despite this, the functions of tomato WRKYs (SlWRKYs) in response to drought stress remain incompletely understood. Thus, we isolated SlWRKY52, a member of the group III SlWRKYs from the tomato variety 'Ailsa Craig', and investigated its role in drought stress responses. SlWRKY52 is an unstable hydrophilic protein chiefly located in the nucleus, which promoter region features cis-acting elements engaged in drought stress response. It was expressed in all tomato tissues and its expression was rapidly induced by drought stress. SlWRKY52 overexpression lines conferred enhanced drought stress resistance in tomato: its involved in abscisic acid (ABA) synthesis, resulted in rapid, ABA-dependent stomatal closure, reduced leaf water loss, lessened photosynthetic damage, higher antioxidant enzyme activity, decreased oxidative damage parameters, increased osmoregulatory substance content, accelerated reactive oxygen species scavenging, and increased expression of regulatory interaction, ABA biosynthesis, and abiotic stress response-related genes. Conversely, the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 nuclease mutant lines of SlWRKY52 reduced drought stress tolerance. In conclusion, our findings suggest that SlWRKY52 acts as a positive regulator of drought tolerance in tomato and has the potential to be used as a target gene for further molecular breeding. 

A Group III WRKY Transcription Factor, SlWRKY52, Positively Regulates Drought Tolerance in Tomato

Saline-alkali stress is an important abiotic stress factor affecting tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plant growth. Although the involvement of the tomato SlWRKY gene family in responses to saline-alkali stress has been well established, the mechanism underlying resistance to saline-alkali stress remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of SlWRKY81 in conferring saline-alkali stress resistance by using overexpression and knockout tomato seedlings obtained via genetic modification. We demonstrated that SlWRKY81 improves the ability of tomato to withstand saline-alkali stress by enhancing antioxidant capacity, root activity, and proline content while reducing malondialdehyde levels. Saline-alkali stress induces an increase in jasmonic acid (JA) content in tomato seedlings, and the SlWRKY81 promoter responds to JA signaling, leading to an increase in SlWRKY81 expression. Furthermore, the interaction between SlJAZ1 and SlWRKY81 represses the expression of SlWRKY81. SlWRKY81 binds to W-box motifs in the promoter regions of SlSPDS2 and SlNHX4, thereby positively regulating their expression. This regulation results in increased spermidine (Spd) content and enhanced potassium (K+ ) absorption and sodium (Na+ ) efflux, which contribute to the resistance of tomato to saline-alkali stress. However, JA and SlJAZ1 exhibit antagonistic effects. Elevated JA content reduces the inhibitory effect of SlJAZ1 on SlWRKY81, leading to the release of additional SlWRKY81 protein and further augmenting the resistance of tomato to saline-alkali stress. In summary, the modulation of Spd synthesis and Na+ /K+ homeostasis mediated by the interaction between SlWRKY81 and SlJAZ1 represents a novel pathway underlying tomato response to saline-alkali stress.

SlWRKY81 regulates Spd synthesis and Na+ /K+ homeostasis through interaction with SlJAZ1 mediated JA pathway to improve tomato saline-alkali resistance.

The SlWRKY6-SlPROPEP-SlPep module confers tomato resistance to Phytophthora infestans

Plants encounter various stresses in their natural environments and can effectively respond to only one stress at a time. Through a complex gene network, transcription factors (TFs) such as WRKY TFs regulate a diverse array of stress responses. The clarification of the structural characteristics of WRKY proteins, along with recent advancements in molecular dynamics simulations, has shed light on the formation, stability, and interactions of DNA–protein complexes. This has provided a novel viewpoint regarding the control of WRKY TFs. The investigation of superfamilies, encompassing their historical development, diversity, and evolutionary patterns, has become feasible due to the transcriptome approach’s capacity to provide extensive and comprehensive transcripts. The significance of WRKY TFs lies in their pivotal role within several signaling cascades and regulatory networks that influence plant defense responses. The present review summarizes the functional aspects of the high-volume sequence data of WRKY TFs from different species studied to date. Moreover, a comparative analysis approach was utilized to determine the functions of the identified WRKY TFs in response to both abiotic and biotic stresses, as revealed through numerous studies on different plant species. The results of this review will be pivotal in understanding evolutionary events and the significance of WRKY TFs in the context of climate change, incorporating new scientific evidence to propose an innovative viewpoint. 

WRKY Transcription Factors (TFs) as Key Regulators of Plant Resilience to Environmental Stresses: Current Perspective

Abstract Bacterial wilt is a devastating disease of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) caused by Ralstonia solanacearum that severely threatens tomato production. Group III WRKY transcription factors (TFs) are implicated in the plant response to pathogen infection; however, their roles in the response of tomato to R. solanacearum infection (RSI) remain largely unexplored. Here, we report the crucial role of SlWRKY30, a group III SlWRKY TF, in the regulation of tomato response to RSI. SlWRKY30 was strongly induced by RSI. SlWRKY30 overexpression reduced tomato susceptibility to RSI, and also increased H2O2 accumulation and cell necrosis, suggesting that SlWRKY30 positively regulates tomato resistance to RSI. RNA sequencing and reverse transcription–quantitative PCR revealed that SlWRKY30 overexpression significantly upregulated pathogenesis-related protein (SlPR-STH2) genes SlPRSTH2a, SlPRSTH2b, SlPRSTH2c, and SlPRSTH2d (hereafter SlPRSTH2a/b/c/d) in tomato, and these SlPR-STH2 genes were directly targeted by SlWRKY30. Moreover, four group III WRKY proteins (SlWRKY52, SlWRKY59, SlWRKY80, and SlWRKY81) interacted with SlWRKY30, and SlWRKY81 silencing increased tomato susceptibility to RSI. Both SlWRKY30 and SlWRKY81 activated SlPRSTH2a/b/c/d expression by directly binding to their promoters. Taking these results together, SlWRKY30 and SlWRKY81 synergistically regulate resistance to RSI by activating SlPR-STH2a/b/c/d expression in tomato. Our results also highlight the potential of SlWRKY30 to improve tomato resistance to RSI via genetic manipulations.

/pdf/slwrky30-and-slwrky81-synergistically-modulate-tomato-2ilp3sgt.pdf

SlWRKY30 and SlWRKY81 synergistically modulate tomato immunity to Ralstonia solanacearum by directly regulating SlPR-STH2


 Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is frequently challenged by various pathogens, among which Phytophthora capsici is the most devastating to pepper production. Red light signal acts as a positive induction of plant resistance against multiple pathogens. However, little is known about how the red light signal affects pepper resistance to P. capsici infection (PCI). Here, we report that red light regulates SA accumulation by activating CaHY5, a basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor, thereby decreasing pepper susceptibility to PCI. Exogenous SA treatment reduced pepper susceptibility to PCI, while silencing of CaPHYB (a red light photoreceptor) increased its susceptibility. PCI significantly induced CaHY5 expression, and silencing of CaHY5 reduced SA accumulation, accompanied by decreases in the expression levels of CaPAL3, CaPAL7, CaPR1, and CaPR1L, which finally resulted in higher susceptibility of pepper to PCI. Moreover, CaHY5 was found to activate the expression of CaPAL3 and CaPAL7, which are essential for SA biosynthesis, by directly binding to their promoters. Further analysis revealed that exogenous SA treatment could restore the resistance of CaHY5­silenced pepper plants to PCI. Collectively, this study reveals a critical mechanism through which red light induces SA accumulation by regulating CaHY5­mediated CaPAL3 and CaPAL7 expression, leading to enhanced resistance to PCI. Moreover, red light-induced CaHY5 regulates pepper resistance to PCI, which may have implications for PCI control in protected vegetable production.

Red light induces salicylic acid accumulation by activating CaHY5 to enhance pepper resistance against Phytophthora capsici

Simple Summary Plants are constantly faced with environmental challenges like extreme heat, drought, and diseases, which threaten their growth and our food supply. This review explores a special family of plant proteins, known as heat shock transcription factors, which act as master switches inside plant cells. While they were first known for helping plants survive heat by activating protective molecules, we now know their role is much broader. This article summarizes recent discoveries showing that these master switches are central to plant resilience against a wide variety of stresses, including drought, salinity, cold, and pathogen attacks. They achieve this by coordinating complex communication networks with the plant’s internal hormone and antioxidant systems. We conclude that understanding and harnessing the power of these proteins offers a promising biotechnology strategy to engineer crops that can better withstand the multiple challenges posed by a changing climate, ultimately contributing to future global food security.

Heat Shock Transcription Factors as Central Integrators of Plant Stress Responses: From Thermotolerance to Multi-Stress Resilience

Crosstalk of Abscisic Acid with Other Hormones and Signaling Molecules in Tomato Cold Stress Tolerance

Genome-Wide Analysis of the ATGs Family in Watermelon and the Involvement of ATG8s in Graft Union Formation

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