Unlocking stress responses: Exploring PseWRKY51 and PseWRKY60 in Pseudoroegneria libanotica through comprehensive analysis of the WRKY gene family under abiotic challenges: Exploring PseWRKY51 and PseWRKY60 in Pseudoroegneria libanotica Through Comprehensive Analysis of the WRKY Gene Family Under Abiotic Challenges

The WRKY gene family plays a crucial role as transcriptional coactivators in plants. Pseudoroegneria libanotica, which serves as the maternal progenitor to various species within the tribe Triticeae, exhibits remarkable resistance to diverse adverse factors. Therefore, an investigation into its response mechanisms to abiotic stressors holds significant importance for Triticeae species. This study identified a total of 89 PseWRKY genes. Phylogenetic analysis categorized PseWRKYs into three groups (I, II, III), among which groups IIc and III had higher mutation frequencies, including variant types such as WRKYGKK and WKKYGQK, which might affect DNA binding properties. 98.88% of PseWRKYs contained ABA-responsive elements and 75.28% were associated with anaerobic induction, suggesting that they are widely involved in adversity regulation. The covariance analysis revealed that P. libanotica was highly homologous to the wheat genome, and 67 PseWRKYs were covariantly associated with the wheat. 36 PseWRKYs were differentially expressed in the root, while 43 PseWRKYs exhibited differential expression in the shoot. PseWRKY51 and PseWRKY60 emerged as potential candidates for responding to abiotic stressors. PseWRKY60 responded to drought, salt, cadmium, and heat stress, whereas PseWRKY51 responded to drought, salt, heat, and oxidative stress. Notably, the homologous gene of PseWRKY51 in wheat has not been reported to respond to abiotic stress, and PseWRKY60 represents a unique WRKY gene in P. libanotica. This ongoing investigation not only provides a foundational platform for further exploration of the functional roles of PseWRKYs in P. libanotica but also identifies previously unexplored genes with the capacity to respond to non-biological stressors.