Molecular characterization of cDNAs encoding low-molecular-weight heat shock proteins of soybean

Identification of HSP20 gene family in wheat and barley and their differential expression profiling under heat stress

Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are chaperones that play an important role in various developmental, biotic and abiotic stresses. The sHSP family possess a conserved domain of approximately 80 to 100 amino acids called alpha-crystalline domain (ACD), flanked by N- and C-terminal regions. Search for complete proteomes and expressed sequenced tag (EST) database of wheat and barley using Hidden Markov Model and BLAST algorithm was conducted. Here, we report genome-wide identification and characterization of 27 newly TaHSP20 candidate genes in wheat and 13 HvHSP20 in barley, describing structures, phylogenetic relationships, conserved protein motifs, and expression patterns. The structural analysis highlights that this gene family possesses a conserved ACD region at the C-terminal. Detailed pattern analysis of HSP20 revealed presence of P-G doublet and I/V/L-X-I/V/L motif that helps in oligomerization. Identification of conserved motif sequences of wheat and barley HSP20 strongly supported their identity as sHSP families. This study illustrates for the first time 3D model prediction of full-length wheat HSP20 (TaHSP20) protein and ACD region. Digital expression analysis was also carried out in order to reveal a widespread distribution of the sHSP family genes at various developmental stages of wheat and barley. In addition, five selected transcripts of both wheat and barley were validated for their expression profile under 35 °C and 42 °C heat stress conditions. Results indicate up-regulation of all the transcripts under heat stress condition except TaCBM38894 candidate, which showed down-regulation in wheat.

Molecular characterization of two small heat shock protein genes in rice: their expression patterns, localizations, networks, and heterogeneous overexpressions

Heat stress is an example of a severe abiotic stress that plants can suffer in the field, causing a significant detrimental effect on their growth and productivity. Understanding the mechanism of plant response to heat stress is important for improving the productivity of crop plants under global warming. We used a microarray dataset that is deposited in the public database to evaluate plant responses to heat stress, and we selected the top 10 genes that are highly expressed under heat stress in rice. Two genes, OsSHSP1 (Os03g16030) and OsSHSP2 (Os01g04380), were selected for further study. These genes were highly induced in response to salt and drought but not in response to cold. In addition, OsSHSP1 and OsSHSP2 gene transcripts were induced under abscisic acid and salicylic acid but not under jasmonic acid and ethylene. Subcellular localization of proteins of 35S::OsSHSP1 were associated with the cytosol, whereas those of and 35S::OsSHSP2 were associated with the cytosol and nucleus. Heterogeneous overexpression of both genes exhibited higher germination rates than those of wild-type plants under the salt treatment, but not under heat or drought stress, supporting a hypothesis regarding functional specialization of members of small heat-shock protein family over evolutionary time. The network of both genes harboring nine sHSPs as well as at least 13 other chaperone genes might support the idea of a role for sHSPs in the chaperone network. Our findings might provide clues to shed light on the molecular functions of OsSHSP1 and OsSHSP2 in response to abiotic stresses, especially heat stress.

Expression of three sHSP genes involved in heat pretreatment-induced chilling tolerance in banana fruit

BACKGROUND

Banana fruit is highly susceptible to chilling injury. In previous research it was shown that heat pretreatment of banana fruit at 38 °C for 3 days before storage at a chilling temperature of 8 °C for 12 days prevented increases in visible chilling injury index, electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde content and also decreases in lightness and chroma, indicating that heat pretreatment could effectively alleviate chilling injury of banana fruit. However, little is known about the role of small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) in postharvest chilling tolerance of banana fruit. In the present study, three cytosolic sHSP expression profiles in peel and pulp tissues of banana fruit during heat pretreatment and subsequent chilled storage (8 °C) were investigated in relation to heat pretreatment-induced chilling tolerance.

RESULTS

Three full-length cDNAs of cytosolic sHSP genes, including two class I sHSP (CI sHSP) and one class II sHSP (CII sHSP) cDNAs, named Ma-CI sHSP1, Ma-CI sHSP2 and Ma-CII sHSP3 respectively, were isolated and characterised from harvested banana fruit. Accumulation of Ma-CI sHSP1 mRNA transcripts in peel and pulp tissues and Ma-CII sHSP3 mRNA transcripts in peel tissue increased during heat pretreatment. Expression of all three Ma-sHSP genes in peel and pulp tissues was induced during subsequent chilled storage. Furthermore, Ma-CI sHSP1 and Ma-CII sHSP3 mRNA transcripts in pulp tissue and Ma-CI sHSP2 mRNA transcripts in peel and pulp tissues were obviously enhanced by heat pretreatment at days 6 and 9 of subsequent chilled storage.

CONCLUSION

These results suggested that heat pretreatment enhanced the expression of Ma-sHSPs, which might be involved in heat pretreatment-induced chilling tolerance of banana fruit.

Endoplasmic reticulum-localized small heat shock protein that accumulates in mulberry tree (Morus bombycis Koidz.) during seasonal cold acclimation is responsive to abscisic acid

With seasonal changes, several proteins accumulate in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-enriched fraction in the bark of mulberry tree (Morus bombycis Koidz.). Results of partial amino acid sequence analysis in our previous study suggested that one of these proteins is the ER-localized small heat shock protein (sHSP), designated 20-kD winter-accumulating protein (WAP20). In the present study, molecular and biochemical properties of WAP20 were investigated in detail. The deduced amino acid sequence of the cDNA has the predicted signal sequence to the ER, retention signal to the ER and two consensus regions conserved in sHSPs. Recombinant WAP20 expressed in Escherichia coli also showed typical biochemical features of sHSPs, including the formation of a high-molecular-mass complex between 200 and 300 kD under native conditions, promotion of the renaturation of chemically denaturated citrate synthase and prevention of heat stress-induced aggregation of the enzyme. Transcript levels of WAP20 in the bark tissue were seasonally changed, showing high expression levels from mid-October to mid-December, and the transcript levels were additionally increased and decreased by cold treatment and warm treatment, respectively. WAP20 transcripts were detected abundantly in bark tissue rather than xylem and winter bud tissues during seasonal cold acclimation. The bark tissue specificity of WAP20 accumulation was also observed by exogenous application of phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) in de-acclimated twigs, whereas WAP20 transcripts were increased in all of these tissues by heat shock treatment at 37 degrees C in summer twigs. The results suggest that ABA may be involved in the expression of the WAP20 gene in bark tissue of the mulberry tree during seasonal cold acclimation.

Comprehensive sequence and expression profile analysis of Hsp20 gene family in rice

The Hsp20 genes represent the most abundant small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) in plants. Hsp20 gene family has been shown to be involved in preventing heat shock and promoting resistance to environmental stress factors, but very little is known about this gene family in rice. Here, we report the identification and characterization of 39 OsHsp20 genes in rice, describing the gene structure, gene expression, genome localization, and phylogenetic relationship of each member. We have used RT-PCR to perform a characterization of the normal and heat shock-induced expression of selective OsHsp20 genes. A genome-wide microarray based gene expression analysis involving 25 stages of vegetative and reproductive development in three rice cultivars has revealed that 36 OsHsp20 genes were expressed in at least one of the experimental stages studied. Among these, transcripts of OsHsp20 were accumulated differentially during vegetative and reproductive developmental stages and preferentially down-regulated in Shanyou 63. In addition, OsHsp20 genes were identified as showing prominent heterosis in family-level expression. Our results suggest that the expression patterns of the OsHsp20 genes are diversified not only in developmental stages but also in variety level.

Molecular chaperone activity of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) endoplasmic reticulum-located small heat shock protein

The gene encoding the small heat shock protein (sHSP), LeHSP21.5, has been previously cloned from tomato (GenBank accession no. AB026983). The deduced amino acid sequence of this tomato sHSP was most similar to that of other endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized sHSPs (ER-sHSP) and can be predicted to target the ER. We examined whether the gene product of LeHSP21.5 (probable ER-sHSP) can act as molecular chaperone. For functional analysis, LeHSP21.5 protein was expressed in Escherichia coli as His(6)-tagged protein in the C-terminal and purified. We confirmed that ER-sHSP could provide thermal protection of soluble proteins in vitro. We compared the thermal stability of E. coli strain BL21 (DE3) transformed with pET-ER-sHSP with the control E. coli strain BL21(DE3) transformed with only the pET vector under heat shock and IPTG-induced conditions. Most of the protein extracts from E. coli cells expressing ER-sHSP were protected from heat-induced denaturation, whereas extracts from cells not expressing ER-sHSP were very heat-sensitive under these conditions. A similar protective effect was observed when purified ER-sHSP was added to an E. coli cell extract. ER-sHSP prevented the thermal aggregation and inactivation of citrate synthase. These collective findings indicate that ER-sHSP can function as a molecular chaperone in vitro.

Enhanced tolerance to drought stress in transgenic rice plants overexpressing a small heat-shock protein, sHSP17.7

Exposure of rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings to a high temperature (42 degrees C) for 24 h resulted in a significant increase in tolerance to drought stress. To try to determine the mechanisms of acquisition of tolerance to drought stress by heat shock, the rice small heat-shock protein gene, sHSP17.7, the product of which was shown to act as molecular chaperones in vitro and in vivo in our previous study, was overexpressed in the rice cultivar "Hoshinoyume". Western and Northern blot analyses showed higher expression levels of sHSP17.7 protein in three transgenic lines than in one transgenic line. Drought tolerance was assessed in these transgenic lines and wild-type plants by withholding water for 6 days for evaluation of the ability of plants to continue growth after water-stress treatments. Although no significant difference was found in water potential of seedlings between transgenic lines and wild-type plants at the end of drought treatments, only transgenic seedlings with higher expression levels of sHSP17.7 protein could regrow after rewatering. Similar results were observed in survival rates after treatments with 30% polyethylene glycol (PEG) 3640 for 3 days. These results suggest that overproduction of sHSP17.7 could increase drought tolerance in transgenic rice seedlings.

Mitochondrial small heat-shock protein enhances thermotolerance in tobacco plants

To clarify the role of mitochondrial small heat-shock protein (MT-sHSP) in the heat-shock response, we introduced the tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) MT-sHSP gene under the control of the 35S promoter into tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), and examined the thermotolerance of the transformed plants. Irrespective of the orientation, sense or antisense, of the gene, the transgenic plants exhibited a normal morphology and growth rate in the vegetative growth stage. When 4-week-old seedlings were exposed to sudden heat stress, the sense plants which overexpress the MT-sHSP gene exhibited thermotolerance, whereas the antisense plants in which the expression of the gene is suppressed exhibited susceptibility.

Small heat shock proteins and stress tolerance in plants

Small heat shock proteins (sHsps) are produced ubiquitously in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells upon heat. The special importance of sHsps in plants is suggested by unusual abundance and diversity. Six classes of sHsps have been identified in plants based on their intracellular localization and sequence relatedness. In addition to heat stress, plant sHsps are also produced under other stress conditions and at certain developmental stages. Induction of sHsp gene expression and protein accumulation upon environmental stresses point to the hypothesis that these proteins play an important role in stress tolerance. The function of sHsps as molecular chaperones is supported by in vitro and in vivo assays. This review summarizes recent knowledge about plant sHsp gene expression, protein structure and functions.

In vivo modifications of the maize mitochondrial small heat stress protein, HSP22

A maize (Zea mays L.) small heat shock protein (HSP), HSP22, was previously shown to accumulate to high levels in mitochondria during heat stress. Here we have purified native HSP22 and resolved the protein into three peaks using reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. Mass spectrometry (MS) of the first two peaks revealed the presence of two HSP22 forms in each peak which differed in mass by 80 daltons (Da), indicative of a monophosphorylation. Phosphorylation of HSP22 by [gamma-(32)P]ATP was also observed in mitochondria labeled in vitro, but not when purified native HSP22 was similarly used, demonstrating that HSP22 does not autophosphorylate, implicating a kinase involvement in vivo. Collisionally induced dissociation tandem MS (CID MS/MS) identified Ser(59) as the phosphorylated residue. We have also observed forms of HSP22 that result from alternative intron splicing. The two HSP22 proteins in the first peak were approximately 57 Da larger than the two HSP22 proteins in the second peak. MS analysis revealed that the +57-Da forms have an additional Gly residue directly N-terminal of the expected Asp(84), which had been converted to an Asn residue. These results are the first demonstrations of phosphorylation and alternative intron splicing of a plant small HSP.

The small heat shock protein Hsp22 of Drosophila melanogaster is a mitochondrial protein displaying oligomeric organization

Drosophila melanogaster has four main small heat shock proteins (Hsps), D. melanogaster Hsp22 (DmHsp22), Hsp23 (DmHsp23), Hsp26 (DmHsp26), and Hsp27 (DmHsp27). These proteins, although they have high sequence homology, show distinct developmental expression patterns. The function(s) of each small heat shock protein is unknown. DmHsp22 is shown to localize in mitochondria both in D. melanogaster S2 cells and after heterologous expression in mammalian cells. Fractionation of mitochondria indicates that DmHsp22 resides in the mitochondrial matrix, where it is found in oligomeric complexes, as shown by sedimentation and gel filtration analysis and by cross-linking experiments. Deletion analysis using a DmHsp22-EGFP construct reveals that residues 1-17 and an unknown number of residues between 17-28 are necessary for import. Site-directed mutagenesis within a putative mitochondrial motif (WRMAEE) at positions 8-13 shows that the first four residues are necessary for mitochondrial localization. Immunoprecipitation results indicate that there is no interaction between DmHsp22 and the other small heat shock proteins. The mitochondrial localization of this small Hsp22 of Drosophila and its high level of expression in aging suggests a role for this small heat shock protein in protection against oxidative stress.

Accumulation of small heat-shock protein homologs in the endoplasmic reticulum of cortical parenchyma cells in mulberry in association with seasonal cold acclimation

Cortical parenchyma cells of mulberry (Morus bombycis Koidz.) trees acquire extremely high freezing tolerance in winter as a result of seasonal cold acclimation. The amount of total proteins in endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-enriched fractions isolated from these cells increased in parallel with the process of cold acclimation. Protein compositions in the ER-enriched fraction also changed seasonally, with a prominent accumulation of 20-kD (WAP20) and 27-kD (WAP27) proteins in winter. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of WAP20 exhibited homology to ER-localized small heat-shock proteins (smHSPs), whereas that of WAP27 did not exhibit homology to any known proteins. Like other smHSPs, WAP20 formed a complex of high molecular mass in native-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Furthermore, not only WAP20 but also 21-kD proteins reacted with antibodies against WAP20. Fractionation of the crude microsomes by isopycnic sucrose-gradient centrifugation revealed that both WAP27 and WAP20 were distributed on a density corresponding to the fractions with higher activity of ER marker enzyme, suggesting localization of these proteins in the ER. When ER-enriched fractions were treated with trypsin in the absence of detergent, WAP20 and WAP27 were undigested, suggesting localization of these proteins inside the ER vesicle. The accumulation of a large quantity of smHSPs in the ER in winter as a result of seasonal cold acclimation indicates that these proteins may play a significant role in the acquisition of freezing tolerance in cortical parenchyma cells of mulberry trees.

Heat-stress response of maize mitochondria

We have identified maize (Zea mays L. inbred B73) mitochondrial homologs of the Escherichia coli molecular chaperones DnaK (HSP70) and GroEL (cpn60) using two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblots. During heat stress (42 degrees C for 4 h), levels of HSP70 and cpn60 proteins did not change significantly. In contrast, levels of two 22-kD proteins increased dramatically (HSP22). Monoclonal antibodies were developed to maize HSP70, cpn60, and HSP22. The monoclonal antibodies were characterized with regard to their cross-reactivity to chloroplastic, cytosolic, and mitochondrial fractions, and to different plant species. Expression of mitochondrial HSP22 was evaluated with regard to induction temperature, time required for induction, and time required for degradation upon relief of stress. Maximal HSP22 expression occurred in etiolated seedling mitochondria after 5 h of a +13 degrees C heat stress. Upon relief of heat stress, the HSP22 proteins disappeared with a half-life of about 4 h and were undetectable after 21 h of recovery. Under continuous heat-stress conditions, the level of HSP22 remained high. A cDNA for maize mitochondrial HSP22 was cloned and extended to full length with sequences from an expressed sequence tag database. Sequence analysis indicated that HSP22 is a member of the plant small heat-shock protein superfamily.

Accumulation of small heat shock proteins, including mitochondrial HSP22, induced by oxidative stress and adaptive response in tomato cells

Changes in gene expression, by application of H2O2, O2.- generating agents (methyl viologen, digitonin) and gamma irradiation to tomato suspension cultures, were investigated and compared to the well-described heat shock response. Two-dimensional gel protein mapping analyses gave the first indication that at least small heat shock proteins (smHSP) accumulated in response to application of H2O2 and gamma irradiation, but not to O2.- generating agents. While some proteins seemed to be induced specifically by each treatment, only part of the heat shock response was observed. On the basis of Northern hybridization experiments performed with four heterologous cDNA, corresponding to classes I-IV of pea smHSP, it could be concluded that significant amounts of class I and II smHSP mRNA are induced by H2O2 and by irradiation. Taken together, these results demonstrate that in plants some HSP genes are inducible by oxidative stresses, as in micro-organisms and other eukaryotic cells. HSP22, the main stress protein that accumulates following H2O2 action or gamma irradiation, was also purified. Sequence homology of amino terminal and internal sequences, and immunoreactivity with Chenopodium rubrum mitochondrial smHSP antibody, indicated that the protein belongs to the recently discovered class of plant mitochondrial smHSP. Heat shock or a mild H2O2 pretreatment was also shown to lead to plant cell protection against oxidative injury. Therefore, the synthesis of these stress proteins can be considered as an adaptive mechanism in which mitochondrial protection could be essential.

Expression of a gene encoding a 16.9-kDa heat-shock protein, Oshsp16.9, in Escherichia coli enhances thermotolerance

A gene encoding the rice 16.9-kDa class I low-molecular-mass (LMM) heat-shock protein (HSP), Oshsp16.9, was introduced into Escherichia coli using the pGEX-2T expression vector to analyze the possible function of this LMM HSP under heat stress. It is known that E. coli does not normally produce class I LMM HSPs. We compared the survivability of E. coli XL1-Blue cells transformed with a recombinant plasmid containing a glutathione S-transferase (GST)-Oshsp16.9 fusion protein (pGST-FL cells) with the control E. coli cells transformed with the pGEX-2T vector (pGST cells) under heat-shock (HS) after isopropyl beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside induction. The pGST-FL cells demonstrated thermotolerance at 47.5 degrees C, a treatment that was lethal to the pGST cells. When the cell lysates from these two E. coli transformants were heated at 55 degrees C, the amount of protein denatured in the pGST-FL cells was 50% less than that of the pGST cells. Similar results as pGST-FL cells were obtained in pGST-N78 cells (cells produced a fusion protein with only the N-terminal 78 aa in the Oshsp16.9 portion) but not in pGST-C108 cells (cells produced a fusion protein with C-terminal 108 aa in the Oshsp16.9 portion). The acquired thermotolerant pGST-FL cells synthesized three types of HSPs, including the 76-, 73-, and 64-kDa proteins according to their abundance at a lethal temperature of 47.5 degrees C. This finding indicates that a plant class I LMM HSP, when effectively expressed in transformed prokaryotic cells that do not normally synthesize this class of LMM HSPs, may directly or indirectly increase thermotolerance.

The 23-kDa light-stress-regulated heat-shock protein of chenopodium rubrum L. is located in the mitochondria

The 23-kDa nuclear-encoded heat-shock protein (HSP) of Chenopodium rubrum L. is regulated by light at the posttranslational level. Higher light intensities are more effective in inducing the accumulation of the mature protein under heat-shock conditions. Based on this and other properties the protein was considered to belong to the group of small chloroplastic HSPs. However, we have now obtained the following evidence that this 23-kDa HSP is localized in the mitochondria: (i) Immunogold-labelled protein was almost exclusively restricted to the mitochondria in electron microscope thin sections. (ii) Using purified, isolated mitochondria from potato tubers the in-vitro-synthesized translation product of 31 kDa was readily transported into mitochondria where it was processed to the 23-kDa product. (iii) The protein could be detected by Western blotting in a preparation of washed mitochondria of Chenopodium, while under the same conditions no signal could be obtained in a preparation of isolated chloroplasts. (iv) Finally, sequence comparison with the published sequences of mitochondrial proteins by Lenne et al. (1995, Biochem J 311:805-813) and LaFayette et al. (1996, Plant Mol Biol 30:159-169) showed clearly that the 23-kDa protein is considerably more similar to these two proteins than to the group of plastid small HSPs. From these data we infer that mitochondria are involved in the response of the plants to high light stress under heat-shock conditions.

Molecular chaperones and protein folding in plants

Protein folding in vivo is mediated by an array of proteins that act either as 'foldases' or 'molecular chaperones'. Foldases include protein disulfide isomerase and peptidyl prolyl isomerase, which catalyze the rearrangement of disulfide bonds or isomerization of peptide bonds around Pro residues, respectively. Molecular chaperones are a diverse group of proteins, but they share the property that they bind substrate proteins that are in unstable, non-native structural states. The best understood chaperone systems are HSP70/DnaK and HSP60/GroE, but considerable data support a chaperone role for other proteins, including HSP100, HSP90, small HSPs and calnexin. Recent research indicates that many, if not all, cellular proteins interact with chaperones and/or foldases during their lifetime in the cell. Different chaperone and foldase systems are required for synthesis, targeting, maturation and degradation of proteins in all cellular compartments. Thus, these diverse proteins affect an exceptionally broad array of cellular processes required for both normal cell function and survival of stress conditions. This review summarizes our current understanding of how these proteins function in plants, with a major focus on those systems where the most detailed mechanistic data are available, or where features of the chaperone/foldase system or substrate proteins are unique to plants.

Molecular chaperones and protein folding in plants

Protein folding in vivo is mediated by an array of proteins that act either as 'foldases' or 'molecular chaperones'. Foldases include protein disulfide isomerase and peptidyl prolyl isomerase, which catalyze the rearrangement of disulfide bonds or isomerization of peptide bonds around Pro residues, respectively. Molecular chaperones are a diverse group of proteins, but they share the property that they bind substrate proteins that are in unstable, non-native structural states. The best understood chaperone systems are HSP70/DnaK and HSP60/GroE, but considerable data support a chaperone role for other proteins, including HSP100, HSP90, small HSPs and calnexin. Recent research indicates that many, if not all, cellular proteins interact with chaperones and/or foldases during their lifetime in the cell. Different chaperone and foldase systems are required for synthesis, targeting, maturation and degradation of proteins in all cellular compartments. Thus, these diverse proteins affect an exceptionally broad array of cellular processes required for both normal cell function and survival of stress conditions. This review summarizes our current understanding of how these proteins function in plants, with a major focus on those systems where the most detailed mechanistic data are available, or where features of the chaperone/foldase system or substrate proteins are unique to plants.