Sequence repeat-induced disruption of the major heat-inducible HSP70 gene of Neurospora crassa

Heat shock protein 80 of Neurospora crassa: sequence analysis of the gene and expression during the asexual phase

Heat shock protein 80 (Hsp80) of Neurospora crassa, a member of the stress-90 protein family, is a cytosolic molecular chaperone that interacts directly with Hsp70 to form a hetero-oligomeric complex. The complete nucleotide sequence of the gene encoding this protein, along with the 5'- and 3'-flanking DNA, is reported. The coding sequence is interrupted by two introns, 61 and 30 nucleotides, respectively, in length. The deduced amino acid sequence corresponds to a 695-residue polypeptide with a calculated molecular mass of 78,894 Da and an average pI of 4.94. Primer extension experiments demonstrated two transcription start sites, a major and a minor one. No sequence motifs resembling the standard eukaryotic heat shock elements were evident in the putative promoter region. Immunoblot analysis showed Hsp80 protein to be present in the mature, dormant conidia, while the hsp80 transcripts were not detected. Both the transcripts and the protein were present in the germinating conidia in the absence of externally applied stress.

Analysis of complex formation between Hsp80 and Hsp70, cytosolic molecular chaperones ofNeurospora crassa, by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA)

A physical association between Hsp70 and Hsp80, the major cytosolic stress proteins of Neurospora crassa, was demonstrated previously by interprotein crosslinking and by binding of Hsp80 to Hsp70 immobilized on ATP-agarose. In the present study, [Hsp70:Hsp80] complex formation was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), using specific antibodies. One protein was fixed onto ELISA plate wells and binding of the second mobile protein was monitored by retention of its cognate IgG. Binding of Hsp70 and Hsp80 to immobilized Hsp80 and Hsp70, respectively, was readily detectable at submicrogram levels. The effect of cations and various nucleotides on [Hsp70:Hsp80] complex was examined by inclusion of KCl, MgCl2, MnCl2, and nucleotides in the interaction mixture. K+stimulated interaction between immobilized Hsp70 and Hsp80 in solution and adenosine nucleotides exerted a stimulatory effect on complexation as well. Similarly, CTP, NAD, and NADH enhanced complex formation between plate-bound Hsp70 and Hsp80 in solution, attesting to the conformational flexibility of Hsp80. Epitope blocking revealed an overlap between protein-protein contact surfaces and antibody recognition sites. Binding to alpha -carboxymethylated lactalbumin showed that Hsp70 and Hsp80 can interact with an unfolded polypeptide, individually and in complex.Key words: molecular chaperones, Neurospora, heat shock proteins, Hsp80:Hsp70 complex.

Heat shock protein 80 of Neurospora crassa, a cytosolic molecular chaperone of the eukaryotic stress 90 family, interacts directly with heat shock protein 70

The subunit structure of Hsp80, the most abundant heat-shock protein of Neurospora crassa, was examined by chemical cross-linking of the purified protein in vitro. Resolution of glutaraldehyde-treated Hsp80 by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis SDS-PAGE suggests that the native state of this protein is a tetramer; the relative proportion of cross-linked species, estimated by the fraction of protein recovered in each category, is consistent with a dimer-of-dimer structure. Upon interaction with nucleotides, higher order cross-linked oligomers were detected, indicating ligand-induced conformational changes. The effect of nucleotides was also monitored by following tryptophan fluorescence: CTP, UTP, and NAD led to fluorescence quenching, the effect of CTP being the most pronounced. As individual molecular chaperones often act in concert with cochaperones, interaction between the two major cytosolic stress proteins--Hsp80 and Hsp70--was examined. Purified Hsp70 was immobilized on ATP-agarose and purified Hsp80 was applied to the Hsp70-saturated matrix; while Hsp80 did not bind to ATP-agarose by itself, it was bound strongly by immobilized Hsp70. The [Hsp70-Hsp80] complex was eluted with ATP and coelution of both proteins was confirmed by Western blot analysis, using specific polyclonal antibodies raised against each protein. The physical association of stress-inducible Hsp70 and Hsp80 was verified by interprotein cross-linking in vitro followed by immunoblot analysis and by immunoprecipitation.