The Transcription Factor TaMYB73 Positively Regulates High-Temperature Seedling Plant Resistance Against Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici in Wheat

The MYB transcription factor family is one of the largest gene families in plants and plays critical roles in how plants respond to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the functions of MYB members in high-temperature seedling plant (HTSP) resistance in wheat to Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) are not well understood. Previously, TaMYB73, a MYB transcription factor, was identified through an RNA-sequencing study of the wheat cultivar Xiaoyan 6 (XY 6) under the infection by Pst. In this work, we characterized the molecular function of TaMYB73. The expression TaMYB73 was upregulated following Pst inoculation and high-temperature treatment. Silencing TaMYB73 resulted in an increased number and size of uredinia, a downregulation of salicylic acid (SA)-responsive genes TaPR1 and TaPR2, and a compromised HTSP resistance to Pst. Conversely, transient overexpression of TaMYB73 in wheat enhanced resistance to Pst by reducing fungal biomass and upregulating TaPR1 and TaPR2. The induction of TaMYB73 by SA and its regulation of SA-responsive genes suggest that it may play a role in SA signaling pathway. Subcellular localization assays confirmed that TaMYB73 is located in the nucleus. Furthermore, yeast two-hybrid, bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC), and luciferase complementation (LUC) assays demonstrated that TaMYB73 can form homodimers. Taken together, our findings establish TaMYB73 as a positive regulator of HTSP resistance in wheat. The work provides important insights into the molecular mechanisms of wheat HTSP resistance to Pst, and offers strategies for improving wheat’s resistance to this pathogen.