The transcription factor WRKY12 negatively regulates iron entry into seeds in Arabidopsis.

Yellow Stripe 1-Like 1 (YSL1) and Yellow Stripe 1-Like 3 (YSL3) transport metal-nicotianamine (NA) complexes to leaves, pollen, and developing seeds and play an important role in regulating iron (Fe) accumulation during the seed development and maturation stages; however, how their gene transcript levels are regulated remains unknown. In this study, we used yeast one-hybrid screening to identify a transcription factor, WRKY12, in Arabidopsis that directly regulates the transcription levels of YSL1 and YSL3 genes. WRKY12 has opposite expression patterns to YSL1 and YSL3.