The review of WRKY transcription factor family functions and its abiotic stress responses in plants

As sessile organisms, plants may encounter various abiotic stresses during their growth, such as low temperatures, high temperatures, drought, and salinity, which can lead to impaired growth, injury, or even death. Transcription factors, as key proteins influencing gene transcription, play a crucial role in plant responses to abiotic stress. Among them, the WRKY transcription factor family is one of the largest in plants and plays a significant regulatory role in plant growth and development. This paper reviews the functions of the WRKY transcription factor family and the current research status on their roles in plant responses to abiotic stress. It discusses how WRKY transcription factors regulate plant hormone signaling pathways and stress signal transduction pathways to enhance plants' ability to cope with abiotic stress.