Objective One of the largest transcription factor families in plants that plays an important role in growth, development, and stress responses, WRKYs of Eriobotrya japonica were identified, their expressions examined, and peel pigmentation-related functions determined.

Method Based on the genome data, EjWRKYs were identified using bioinformatic methods with their characteristics analyzed. Expressions of the genes in the peel pigmentation of Jiefangzhong and Shanpai 3 loquats were determined based on the transcriptome data. qRT-PCR was employed to verify the expressions of some differentially expressed EjWRKYs.

Result One hundred WRKYs harboring typical domains were identified with the codes of EjWRKY1 to EjWRKY100. The length of EjWRKY ranged 150−732 amino acids with molecular weights ranging 17 189.36−79 765.13 Da and isoelectric points ranging 4.92−10.25. Most of the identified WRKYs located in the nucleus with 97 of them unevenly distributed in 17 chromosomes. The three domains and zinc-finger motifs-based classes of the proteins were mostly expressed in the peel of Jiefangzhong and Shanpai 3 loquats. The qRT-PCR and RNA-seq analyses showed agreeable results on EjWRKYs.

Conclusion One hundred EjWRKYs were identified to be associated with the pigmentation of loquat peel.