<i>OsVQ32</i>–<i>OsWRKY53</i> Module Regulates Rice Resistance to Bacterial Blight by Suppressing <i>OsPrx30</i>-Mediated ROS Scavenging

WRKY transcription factors play crucial roles in regulating plant immune responses. Our previous research showed that <i>OsWRKY53</i> negatively affects rice resistance to bacterial blight by reducing the thickness of the cell wall. In this study, we identified a physical interaction between the OsWRKY53 and the OsVQ32, revealing that the OsWRKY53 functions as a downstream component of the OsMPK4-OsVQ32 cascade. OsWRKY53 can directly bind to the promoter of <i>OsPrx30</i>, a gene that negatively affects rice resistance to bacterial blight, thereby activating its expression. <i>OsWRKY53</i>-overexpressing plants exhibited a significant increase in peroxidase activity and a decrease in hydrogen peroxide content, whereas the opposite effects were observed in the <i>oswrky53</i> mutants. Furthermore, we found that the interaction between OsVQ32 and OsWRKY53 forms a complex that represses <i>OsPrx30</i> transcription by enhancing the DNA-binding activity of OsWRKY53. OsVQ32 phosphorylation by the OsMPK4 further enhanced this suppression. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the OsVQ32-OsWRKY53 complex regulates the expression of <i>OsPrx30</i>, modulating resistance to bacterial blight by suppressing the scavenging of reactive oxygen species.