MYB transcription factors in plants: A comprehensive review of their discovery, structure, classification, functional diversity and regulatory mechanism

The MYB transcription factor (TF) family is one of the largest families in plants and performs highly diverse regulatory functions, particularly in relation to pathogen/pest resistance, nutrient/noxious substance absorption, drought/salt resistance, trichome growth, stamen development, leaf senescence, and flavonoid/terpenoid biosynthesis. Owing to their vital role in various biological regulatory processes, the mechanisms of MYB TFs have been extensively studied. Notably, MYB TFs not only directly regulate targets, such as phytohormones, reactive oxygen species signaling and secondary cell wall formation, but also serve as crucial points of crosstalk between these signaling networks. Here, we have comprehensively described the structures, classifications, and biological functions of MYB TFs, with a specific focus on their roles and mechanisms in the response to biotic and abiotic stresses, plant morphogenesis, and secondary metabolite biosynthesis. Different from other reported reviews, this review provides comprehensive knowledge on plant MYB TFs and will provide valuable insights in understanding regulatory networks and associated functions of plant MYB TFs to apply in resistance breeding and crop improvement.