MdWRKY100 encodes a group I WRKY transcription factor in Malus domestica that positively regulates resistance to Colletotrichum gloeosporioides infection

Apple (Malus domestica) is an important fruit worldwide; however, the development of the apple industry is limited by fungal disease. Apple bitter rot caused by the pathogen Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is one of the most devastating apple diseases, leading to large-scale losses in apple quality and production. WRKY transcription factors have important functions in the regulation of biotic and abiotic stresses. However, their biological and molecular functions in non-model plants, including apple, remain poorly understood. Here, we isolated MdWRKY100 from 'Hanfu' apple. The MdWRKY100 protein fused to green fluorescent protein localized to the nucleus, and MdWRKY100 in yeast cells displayed transcriptional activation activity, which is consistent with the function of a transcription factor. Additionally, several putative cis-acting elements involved in abiotic stress responsiveness were also identified in the MdWRKY100 promoter. Transcriptional analysis revealed that MdWRKY100 was expressed ubiquitously in all examined apple organs. Overexpression in apple increased resistance to Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, while RNAi silencing transgenic plants were more sensitive to Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Collectively, our data demonstrate that MdWRKY100 is a positive regulator of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides resistance in apple.