Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41555242›Full record

ArticleBMC plant biology2026

Heterologous expression of MfWRKY40 enhanced drought resistance of alfalfa.

Xueli Zhang, Wei Duan, Lijun Liu, Yongli Ran, Lin Wang, Feng Yuan, Wanjun Zhang, Yuxiang Wang, Qian Li

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC plant biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Xueli ZhangKey Laboratory of Ministry of Education of Grassland Resources and Ecology of Western Arid Region, Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources and Ecology of Xinjiang, College of Grassland Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China.
Wei DuanKey Laboratory of Ministry of Education of Grassland Resources and Ecology of Western Arid Region, Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources and Ecology of Xinjiang, College of Grassland Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China.
Lijun LiuKey Laboratory of Ministry of Education of Grassland Resources and Ecology of Western Arid Region, Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources and Ecology of Xinjiang, College of Grassland Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China.
Yongli RanKey Laboratory of Ministry of Education of Grassland Resources and Ecology of Western Arid Region, Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources and Ecology of Xinjiang, College of Grassland Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China.
Lin WangKey Laboratory of Ministry of Education of Grassland Resources and Ecology of Western Arid Region, Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources and Ecology of Xinjiang, College of Grassland Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China.
Feng YuanNational Center of Pratacultural Technology Innovation (Under Preparation), Hohhot, 010010, China.
Wanjun ZhangKey Laboratory of Ministry of Education of Grassland Resources and Ecology of Western Arid Region, Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources and Ecology of Xinjiang, College of Grassland Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China.
Yuxiang WangKey Laboratory of Ministry of Education of Grassland Resources and Ecology of Western Arid Region, Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources and Ecology of Xinjiang, College of Grassland Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China. wyx9868@163.com.
Qian LiKey Laboratory of Ministry of Education of Grassland Resources and Ecology of Western Arid Region, Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources and Ecology of Xinjiang, College of Grassland Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China. liqian@xjau.edu.cn.

Funding

National Center of Pratacultural Technology Innovation (under preparation) CCPTZX2024GJ02-3National Natural Science Foundation of China 32460349Natural Science Foundation of the Autonomous Region 2023D01B35
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDrought stress severely affects alfalfa growth. WRKY transcription factors play an important regulatory role in plant response to abiotic stresses. The aim of this study was to explore the role of MfWRKY40 in drought tolerance in alfalfa.

resultsWe generated transgenic alfalfa plants overexpressing MfWRKY40 via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and measured the expression levels in different lines by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Under natural drought stress, MfWRKY40-overexpressing lines displayed improved phenotypic performance relative to wild type (WT) plants. The transgenic lines also exhibited reduced water loss rates and smaller stomatal apertures compared to WT plants. Analysis of photosynthetic parameters further revealed enhanced photosynthetic capacity in the transgenic plants. Additionally, under drought stress, antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase) activities were significantly elevated in the transgenic alfalfa, while relative electrolytic leakage (REL), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide anion (O

conclusionsOur findings indicate that MfWRKY40 improves drought tolerance in alfalfa by limiting water loss, enhancing photosynthetic performance, reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, and modulating the expression of enzymes and drought-responsive genes. The MfWRKY40 gene could be used as a molecular tool for breeding drought-tolerant alfalfa cultivars.

Indexed as

Medicago sativaPlant ProteinsTranscription FactorsDrought ResistanceDroughtsGene Expression Regulation, PlantPhotosynthesisPlants, Genetically ModifiedReactive Oxygen SpeciesPlant ProteinsReactive Oxygen SpeciesTranscription FactorsDrought resistanceDrought stressMfWRKY40 geneTransgenic alfalfa

Identifiers

PMID41555242
PMCPMC13173709

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.