WRKY-mediated regulation of secondary metabolite production in medicinal plants

WRKY transcription factors represent a quintessential regulatory clade involved in plant growth, stress adaptation, and secondary metabolic processes. Extensive research has elucidated that WRKY proteins play significant roles in orchestrating the biosynthesis of bioactive compounds in medicinal plants, including alkaloids, flavonoids, and terpenoids. Acting as central nodes in transcriptional regulatory networks, WRKY factors integrate abiotic stress signals and phytohormone pathways to recalibrate metabolic gene expression. Recent multi-omics approaches have further advanced the understanding of WRKY-mediated regulatory networks. This review summarizes recent progress and highlights future research directions.