Transcriptional activity and subcellular location of SmWRKY42-like and its response to gibberellin and ethylene treatments in Salvia miltiorrhiza hairy roots

Abstract Objective The exogenous gibberellin (GA) and ethylene (ET) treatment can improve the medicinal ingredients of Salvia miltiorrhiza. Interestingly, many reports pointed out that WRKY transcription factors played an important regulatory role in these treatment responses. However, whether the Sm WRKY mediate these treatment signalings in S. miltiorrhiza remains largely elusive. Methods qRT-PCR was used for SmWRKY42-like in response to exogenous GA and ethephon (Eth) treatment. The subcellular location of SmWRKY42-like was transiently transformed into onion epidermal cells by particle bombardment. The self-activating activity of SmWRKY42-like was verified in AH109 yeast strain. Results SmWRKY42-like was a WRKY family gene in S. miltiorrhiza . The subcellular localization and transcriptional activity results of the SmWRKY42-like protein indicated that SmWRKY42-like mainly enriched in nucleus and might be a transcription factor in S. miltiorrhiza . In the meantime, the SmWRKY42-like gene significantly responded to exogenous GA and Eth treatment. Conclusion These results collectively indicated the SmWRKY42-like gene functions, as an important hormone-responsive gene, might play a potentially role in ET and GA signaling pathways.