EXB1/WRKY71 transcription factor regulates both shoot branching and responses to abiotic stresses

As the sessile organisms, plants evolve different strategies to survive in adverse environmental conditions. The elaborate regulation of shoot branching is an important strategy for plant morphological adaptation to various environments, while the regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) is pivotal for plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Recently, we have demonstrated that Arabidopsis EXB1, a WRKY transcription factor, is a positive regulator of shoot branching as a cover story in Plant Cell. Here we show that WRKY23, an EXB1 close member, has a redundant role in control of shoot branching. We further show that EXB1 is induced by H2O2, ABA or mannitol treatments, suggesting that EXB1 may also play roles in plant responses to abiotic stresses. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis using 4EnhpEXB1-EXB1GR inducible line indicates that the genes involved in oxidative stress, oxidation reduction, SA or JA signaling pathway are regulated by EXB1 induction in a short time. We suggest that EXB1/WRKY71 transcription factor may play pivotal roles in plant adaptation to environments by both morphological and physiological ways.