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Regulatory Mechanisms and Breeding Applications of the WRI1 Gene in Crop Lipid Biosynthesis and Stress Resistance

Bingyu Wang 1,* and Yuan Chen 1
1 College of Forestry and Grassland / Soil and Water Conservation College, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China * Correspondence: Bingyu Wang, College of Forestry and Grassland / Soil and Water Conservation College, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China

Vol. 28 (2026): 2026 2nd International Conference on Agricultural Sciences, Economics, Biomedical and Environmental Sciences (SEMBE 2026)

Received: 2026-07-18

Accepted: 2026-07-18

Published: 2026-07-18

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Downloads: 163

Abstract

WRI1 (WRINKLED1), a core member of the AP2/ERF transcription factor family, is a key regulatory factor linking carbon metabolism and lipid biosynthesis in crops. In recent years, its synergistic regulatory role in the response to abiotic stress has become a prominent research hotspot in modern agronomy. This paper systematically reviews the recent studies on the WRI1 gene, comprehensively analyzing the core regulatory network of WRI1 in lipid biosynthesis, the underlying mechanisms of functional divergence under various abiotic stress conditions, as well as the molecular basis of the synergistic regulation between lipid biosynthesis and stress resistance. We examine these complex interactions from the integrated perspective of "molecular mechanism-environmental response-breeding application". Furthermore, we summarize the practical application effects of WRI1-based molecular breeding technologies, including advanced gene editing and promoter optimization strategies, across diverse plant species. These encompass oil-rich crops such as oil palm, peanut, soybean, perilla, and flax, minor grain crops like quinoa and maize, and economically important forest trees including poplar. Finally, it is proposed that cutting-edge multi-omics techniques, such as single-cell sequencing combined with synthetic biology approaches, should be adopted to elucidate the precise regulatory pathways of WRI1 in future research endeavors. This comprehensive understanding will provide robust theoretical support for breeding elite crop varieties characterized by the dual superior traits of high oil content and enhanced stress resistance.

Keywords

wri1 lipid biosynthesis abiotic stress molecular breeding crop improvement

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Published in2026-07-18 17:07:14

DOI https://doi.org/10.70088/tj644483

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Copyright: © 2026 by the authors. Submitted for possible open access publication under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/license s/by/4.0/).

Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by SEMBE 2026

Journal Information

  • Vol. 28 (2026): 2026 2nd International Conference on Agricultural Sciences, Economics, Biomedical and Environmental Sciences (SEMBE 2026)
  • 2026-07-18
  • ISSN: (Print) 3078-770X/ (Online) 3078-7718
  • Journal Homepage

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