Sequence of a sea urchin hsp70 gene and its 5' flanking region

An intron-containing, heat-inducible stress-70 gene in the millipede Tachypodoiulus niger (Julidae, Diplopoda)

The highly conserved part of the nucleotide-binding domain of the hsp70 gene family was amplified from the soil diplopod Tachypodoiulus niger (Julidae, Diplopoda). Genomic DNA yielded 701, 549 and 540 bp sequences, whereas cDNA from heat shocked animals produced only one distinct fragment of 543 bp. The sequences could be classified as a 70 kDa heat shock protein (hsp70), the corresponding 70 kDa heat shock cognate (hsc70) and a glucose-related hsp70 homologue (grp78). Comparisons of genomic and cDNA sequences of hsc70 identified two introns within the consensus sequence. Generally, stress-70 expression levels were low, which hampered successful RT-PCR and subsequent subcloning. Following experimental heat shock, however, the spliced hsc70 was amplified predominantly, instead of its inducible homologue hsp70. This finding suggests that microevolution in this soil-dwelling arthropod is directed towards low constitutive stress-70 levels and that the capacity for stress-70 induction presumably is limited. hsc70, albeit having introns, apparently is inducible and contributes to the stress-70 response.

Studies on heat shock proteins in sea urchin development

Work on stress proteins in sea urchin embryos carried out over the last 20 years is reviewed and the following major results are described. Entire sea urchin embryos, if subjected to a rise in temperature at any postblastular stage undergo a wave of heat shock protein (hsp) synthesis and survive. If subjected to the same rise between fertilization and blastula formation, they are not yet able to synthesize hsp and die. Four clones coding for the major hsp, hsp70, have been isolated and sequenced; evidence for the existence of a heat shock factor has been provided, and a mechanism for the developmental regulation of hsp synthesis discussed. Intraembryonic and intracellular hsp location has been described; and a mechanism for achievement of thermotolerance proposed. A chaperonine role for a constitutive mitochondrial hsp56 has been suggested, as well as a role for the constitutive hsp70 in cell division. Heat shock, if preceded by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-12-acetate (TPA) treatment causes apoptosis.

Sea urchin HSF activity in vitro and in transgenic embryos

Evidence is provided for the presence at the physiological temperature of 20 degrees C of a heat shock transcriptor factor, HSF, in the nuclei of P.lividus embryos. This HSF is able to specifically bind in vitro the heat shock element, HSE, of the promoter of the hsp70 gene i.v., as suggested by DNA-protein binding reactions and DNAse I protection assays. Upon heat-shock, at the temperature of 31 degrees C, its ability to bind the HSE units becomes much higher. The HSF activated by heat-shock drives in vivo the transcription of the beta-galactosidase reporter gene in transgenic sea urchin gastrulae. An ATF-like transcription factor, widely described in other organisms but not at all in sea urchins, is also present in the nuclear extracts and is able to bind the consensus individuated in the hsp70 i.v. gene promoter.

Structure and organization of the gene encoding a mouse mitochondrial stress-70 protein

We have previously found that an antigenic protein specific for C3H strain mouse (C3H strain-specific antigen, CSA) is identical to peptide-binding protein 74 (PBP74). PBP74/CSA is a novel member of the stress-70 protein family in mitochondria. In this study, mouse genomic clones encoding PBP74/CSA, including the 5'- and 3'-flanking regions of the gene, have been isolated and sequenced. The PBP74/CSA gene contained 17 exons interrupted by 16 introns. Two dimeric repeats of the consensus sequence of the heat-shock element are present in the 5'-flanking region of the PBP74/CSA gene. Moreover, the first intron is interrupted within the amino-terminal leader sequence, the pattern of which is similar to that of cytochrome c1 located in the mitochondria.

Sea urchin egg receptor for sperm: sequence similarity of binding domain and hsp70

Fertilization depends on cell surface recognition proteins that interact and thereby mediate binding and subsequent fusion of the sperm and egg. Overlapping complementary DNA's encoding the egg plasma membrane receptor for sperm from the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus were cloned and sequenced. Analysis of the deduced primary structure suggests that the receptor is a transmembrane protein with a short cytoplasmic domain. This domain showed no sequence similarity to known protein sequences. In contrast, the extracellular, sperm binding domain of the receptor did show sequence similarity to the heat shock protein 70 (hsp70) family of proteins. Recombinant protein representing this portion of the receptor bound to the sperm protein, binding, and also inhibited fertilization in a species-specific manner; beads coated with the protein became specifically bound to acrosome-reacted sperm. These data provide a basis for detailed investigations of molecular interactions that occur in gamete recognition and egg activation.

Cloning and expression of a heat-inducible hsp70 gene in two species of Hydra which differ in their stress response

A heat-inducible, intron-containing member of the hsp70 gene family has been isolated and characterized in Hydra magnipapillata and Hydra oligactis, two species previously shown [Bosch, T. C. G., Krylow, S. M., Bode, H. R. & Steele, R. E. (1988) Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 85, 7927-7931] to differ in their stress response. The gene, hsp70.1, encodes a 654-amino-acid protein of predicted molecular mass 70 kDa with 78% amino acid identity to Xenopus HSP70. Northern-blot analysis revealed that polyps of H. oligactis accumulate significantly less hsp70.1 mRNA after heat shock than polyps of H. magnipapillata. In nuclear run-off experiments, we found that transcriptional induction of hsp70.1 expression in response to stress is similar in both species. Thus, the previously reported inability of H. oligactis to synthesize heat-shock proteins in response to stress is at least in part due to reduced stability of hsp70.1 mRNA during heat shock.

Characterization of a new member of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus hsp70 gene family and its expression

We have sequenced a second gene of the hsp70 family derived from a genomic clone of the sea urchin, Paracentrotus lividus. The structure of this gene, named hsp70IV gene, is interrupted by one intron and differs from the previously analyzed sea urchin hsp70II gene, which contains several introns. Two open reading frames of hsp70IV gene encode a predicted protein of 639 amino acids with an M(r) of 69,672. The 5' flanking region of the gene contains a putative TATA element, three heat-shock elements made up of some arrays of the 5-bp units, NGAAN and NTTCN (N = A,C,G or T), a canonic consensus sequence for binding of the regulatory activating transcription factor (ATF), and a purine box. The 3' flanking region contains four putative polyadenylation sites located at different sites downstream from the stop codon. Using Northern blot hybridization analysis, carried out using a probe corresponding to a 3' noncoding fragment (UTR) peculiar to hsp70IV gene, we found that this gene is transcribed only under heat shock (Hs) and that the transcript can be recovered from the polysomal pellet. The hsp70IV gene may be classified as a Hs gene 70 although it contains one intron.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a constitutively expressed heat-shock-cognate hsc71 gene from rainbow trout

A rainbow trout major heat-shock-protein-like gene (hsp 70) and corresponding cDNA clones were isolated by hybridization to heterologous hsp70 probes. DNA sequencing revealed that this gene is structurally similar to a mammalian heat-shock-cognate hsc70 gene and consists of eight introns. Northern blot and primer extension analyses showed that the corresponding mRNA is constitutively abundant in different trout tissues and salmonid cell lines. Fragments of the isolated gene containing the -900 - +30 and -217 - +58 sequence were linked to a bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene and transiently transfected into salmonid cells. The expression pattern of these constructs supports our conclusion that the isolated genomic and cDNA clones correspond to a trout heat-shock-cognate hsc70 gene.

Structure of a gene encoding heat-shock protein HSP70 from the unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

The structure of a gene encoding a 70-kDa heat-shock protein (HSP70) from the unicellular alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, is described. This gene shows a remarkable expression pattern, because it is inducible by light as well as by elevated temperature [von Gromoff et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 9 (1989) 3911-3918]. As a first step in the investigation of trans-acting factors involved in environmentally controlled expression of this hsp70 gene, the nucleotide sequence of the entire gene, including its 5'- and 3'-flanking regions was determined. Although the deduced amino acid sequence exhibits a high degree of conservation to the HSP70 from higher plants, the C. reinhardtii gene has a unique structure among the members of the hsp70 gene family. While most hsp70 genes have only one or no intron, the coding region of the C. reinhardtii gene is interrupted by six introns. Besides putative TATA and CCAAT boxes, two heat-shock elements (HSE) were found in the promoter region, and a third HSE motif was located within the fourth intron. A computer search for regulatory cis-acting elements revealed a noted similarity of a 5'-upstream sequence motif to the G-box motif conserved in higher plants. A polyadenylation recognition sequence canonical for nuclear genes of C. reinhardtii is located downstream from the coding sequence.