FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF NbWRKY79 IN PLANT DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAMS BY VIRUS-INDUCED GENE SILENCING

Abstract

NbWRKY79, a transcriptional factor belonging to the WRKY family, plays important roles in salt stress responses related to abscicic acid (ABA) pathway in the plant. However, the functional characteristics of NbWRKY79 in plant development have not been investigated yet. In this study, the expression of NbWRKY79 in Nicotiana benthamiana tobacco plants was reduced by virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). The growth of VIGS-NbWRKY79 tobacco plants was significantly decreased in height, fresh weight, and leaf size compared to the control plants. Especially, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation was increased in leaves of VIGS-NbWRKY79 plants but not in the control plants. Reducing of NbWRKY79 expression in the tobacco plants also led to a limit in flower development and seed production. The stomata closure in leaves was significantly decreased under exogenous ABA treatment. The calli, which were generated from leaf segments of VIGS-NbWRKY79 almost, did not generate shoots. Taken altogether, the results suggested the important roles of NbWRKY79 in many development processes in plants.