Abstract:
Wall-associated kinases (WAKs) and WAK-likes (WAKLs) are transmembrane
pectin receptors which have seen rising interest in recent years due to their
roles in stress responses and developmental pathways. Consequently, the genes
encoding these proteins are continuously identified, described and characterised
across a wide variety of plant species. The primary goal of characterizing these
genes is to classify, describe and infer cellular function, mostly through in silico
methods. However, inconsistencies across characterizations have led to
discrepancies in WAK/WAKL definitions resulting in sequences being classified
as a WAK in one study but as a WAKL or not identified in another. The methods of
characterization range widely with different combinations of analyses being
conducted, to similar analyses but with varying inputs and parameters which
are impacting the outputs. This review collates current knowledge about WAK/
WAKL genes and the recent characterizations of this family and suggests a more
robust strategy for increased consistency among the different gene members, as
well as the characterizations thereof.
