Genome-wide analysis of the WRKY transcription factor family in Medicago truncatula

Abstract

Abstract: Medicago truncatula is a model Leguminosae plant because it has a small genome, is easily transformed, and its genome has been completely sequenced. WRKY transcription factor is a new protein family containing conserved WRKYGQK amino acid sequences. Regulator genes and (/or) functional genes containing a W-box in the promoter are regulated. WRKY proteins correlate to plant defense response. M. truncatula genome sequence (Mt2.0) was employed in this research. The gene number, class, phylogenetic relation and conserved motif of WRKY transcription factor genes were analysed in M. truncatula. Twenty-eight WRKY genes were found in M. truncatula, two domains were confirmed in five WRKY genes and 33 WRKY domains were found in all WRKY genes. The number of genes is less than those of Arabidopsis and rice. Phylogenetic trees show different evolution patterns of Arabidopsis, rice and M. truncatula. WRKY genes have a unique evolutionary mechanism in Medicago. WRKY proteins were found to contain 33 conserved motifs by using MEME analysis, and five motifs were affirmed in WRKY domains. The study provides a foundation for function and evolution of WRKY genes in M. truncatula.

CLC Number:

JIANG Teng, LIN Yong-xiang, LIU Xue, JIANG Hai-yang, ZHU Su-wen. Genome-wide analysis of the WRKY transcription factor family in Medicago truncatula[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2011, 20(3): 211-218.

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