Pan-genome identification and expression analysis of the WRKY gene family in apple

Background: WRKYs are a unique class of transcription factors that play crucial roles in plant responses to biotic stress, abiotic stress, and growth and development.Results: In this study, 152 WRKY genes were identified in apple based on pan-genome data. Compared to the reference genome, structural variations were observed in six WRKYs; however, their expression was not significantly altered. The gene structure, arrangement, and types of MdWRKY14 motifs were consistent across the genomes of different apple varieties. RNA-seq analysis indicated that 34 WRKYs respond to low-temperature stress.Conclusions: In this study, the evolutionary relationship and functional role of WRKY family members in apple were explored by apple genome-wide and bioinformatics methods, and important clues were provided for further exploration of the molecular mechanism of apple WRKY gene family members in response to low temperature stress.<br>