Li Mingyu, Shao Yiming, Pan Baiwei, Liu Chang, Tan Hexin
Department of Chinese Medicine Authentication, College of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, No.325 Guohe Road, Shanghai 200433, China.
Department of Chinese Medicine Authentication, College of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, No.325 Guohe Road, Shanghai 200433, China; Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, No.1279 Sanmen Road, Shanghai 200434, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Pharmaceutical Metabolite Research, No.325 Guohe Road, Shanghai 200433, China.
J Adv Res. 2025 Jan 4. doi: 10.1016/j.jare.2025.01.009.
Plants produce abundant natural products, among which are species-specific and diversified secondary metabolites that are essential for growth and development, as well as adaptation to adversity and ecology. Moreover, these secondary metabolites are extensively utilized in pharmaceuticals, fragrances, industrial materials, and more. WRKY transcription factors (TFs), as a family of TFs unique to plants, have significant functions in many plant life activities. Especially in recent years, their role in the field of secondary metabolite biosynthesis regulation has received much attention. However, very little comprehensive summarization has been done to review their research progress.
The purpose of this work is not only to provide valuable insights into the regulation of WRKY TFs over metabolic pathways through compiling the WRKY TFs involved in these processes, but also to offer research directions for WRKY TFs by summarizing the regulatory modes of WRKY TFs in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, thereby increasing the yield of valuable natural products in the future.
Secondary metabolites can be categorized into three major classes-terpenoids, phenolic compounds, and nitrogen-containing compounds-based on their structural characteristics and biosynthetic pathways, and further subdivided into numerous subclasses. We review in detail the research progressregardingthe regulatory roles of WRKY TFs in plant secondary metabolitebiosynthesis and summarize more than 40 major related species. Additionally, we have presented the concepts of action modes of WRKY TFs involved in metabolic pathways, including direct regulation, indirect regulation, co-regulation, and self-regulation. It is helpful for others to investigate the molecular mechanisms of TF-mediated regulation. Furthermore, regarding future research prospects, we believe that research in this area lays the foundation for increasing the yield of important plant-derived natural products by molecular breeding, generating significant economic and social benefits.
植物产生丰富的天然产物，其中物种特异性和多样化的次生代谢产物对生长发育以及适应逆境和生态环境至关重要。此外，这些次生代谢产物在制药、香料、工业材料等领域有广泛应用。WRKY转录因子作为植物特有的一类转录因子，在许多植物生命活动中具有重要功能。特别是近年来，它们在次生代谢产物生物合成调控领域的作用备受关注。然而，对其研究进展进行的全面总结却非常少。
这项工作的目的不仅是通过汇编参与这些过程的WRKY转录因子，为WRKY转录因子对代谢途径的调控提供有价值的见解，还通过总结WRKY转录因子在次生代谢产物生物合成中的调控模式，为WRKY转录因子提供研究方向，从而在未来提高有价值天然产物的产量。
次生代谢产物可根据其结构特征和生物合成途径分为三大类——萜类化合物、酚类化合物和含氮化合物，并进一步细分为众多亚类。我们详细综述了WRKY转录因子在植物次生代谢产物生物合成中的调控作用的研究进展，并总结了40多个主要相关物种。此外，我们还介绍了WRKY转录因子参与代谢途径的作用模式概念，包括直接调控、间接调控、协同调控和自我调控。这有助于其他人研究转录因子介导的调控的分子机制。此外，关于未来的研究前景，我们认为该领域的研究为通过分子育种提高重要植物源天然产物的产量奠定了基础，将产生重大的经济和社会效益。
