DNA sequence and transcript mapping of a soybean gene encoding a small heat shock protein

Analysis of gene sequences indicates that quantity not quality of chloroplast small HSPs improves thermotolerance in C4 and CAM plants

Chloroplast-localized small heat-shock proteins (Cp-sHSP) protect Photosystem II and thylakoid membranes during heat and other stresses, and Cp-sHSP production levels are related to plant thermotolerance. However, to date, a paucity of Cp-sHSP sequences from C4 or CAM species, or from other extremely heat-tolerant species, has precluded an examination to determine if Cp-sHSP genes or proteins might differ among plants with photosynthetic pathways or between heat-sensitive and heat-tolerant species. To investigate this, we isolated and characterized novel Cp-sHSP genes in four plant species: two moderately heat-tolerant C4 species, Spartina alterniflora (monocot) and Amaranthus retroflexus (eudicot), and two very heat-tolerant CAM species, Agave americana (monocot) and Ferocactus wislizenii (eudicot) (respective genes: SasHSP27.12, ArsHSP26.43, AasHSP26.85 and FwsHSP27.52) by PCR-based genome walking and cDNA RACE. Analysis of these Cp-sHSPs has confirmed the presence of conserved domains common to previously examined species. As expected, the transit peptide was found to be the most variable part of these proteins. Promoter analysis of these genes revealed differences in CAM versus C3 and C4 species that were independent of a general difference between monocots and eudicots observed for the entire protein. Heat-induced gene and protein expression indicated that Cp-sHSP protein levels were correlated with thermotolerance of photosynthetic electron transport, and that in most cases protein and transcript levels were correlated. Thus, available evidence indicates little variation in the amino acid sequence of Cp-sHSP mature proteins between heat-sensitive and -tolerant species, but that variation in Cp-sHSP protein production is related to heat tolerance or photosynthetic pathway (CAM vs. C3 and C4) and is driven by promoter differences. Key message We isolated and characterized four novel Cp-sHSP genes with promoters from wild plants, analysis has shown qualitative and quantitative interspecific variations in Cp-sHSPs of C3, C4, and CAM plant thermotolerance.

Heat-shock-mediated elimination of the nptII marker gene in transgenic apple (Malus×domestica Borkh.)

Production of marker-free genetically modified (GM) plants is one of the major challenges of molecular fruit breeding. Employing clean vector technologies, allowing the removal of undesired DNA sequences from GM plants, this goal can be achieved. The present study describes the establishment of a clean vector system in apple Malus×domestica Borkh., which is based on the use of the neomycin phosphotransferase II gene (nptII) as selectable marker gene and kanamycin/paramomycin as selective agent. The nptII gene can be removed after selection of GM shoots via site-specific excision mediated by heat-shock-inducible expression of the budding yeast FLP recombinase driven by the soybean Gmhsp17.5-E promoter. We created a monitoring vector containing the nptII and the flp gene as a box flanked by two direct repeats of the flp recognition target (FRT) sites. The FRT-flanked box separates the gusA reporter gene from the Cauliflower Mosaic Virus 35S (CaMV 35S) promoter. Consequently, GUS expression does only occur after elimination of the FRT-flanked box. Transformation experiments using the monitoring vector resulted in a total of nine transgenic lines. These lines were investigated for transgenicity by PCR, RT-PCR and Southern hybridization. Among different temperature regimes tested, exposure to 42 °C for 3.5 to 4h led to efficient induction of FLP-mediated recombination and removal of the nptII marker gene. A second round of shoot regeneration from leaf explants led to GM apple plants completely free of the nptII gene.

Ac/Ds-transposon activation tagging in poplar: a powerful tool for gene discovery

BACKGROUND

Rapid improvements in the development of new sequencing technologies have led to the availability of genome sequences of more than 300 organisms today. Thanks to bioinformatic analyses, prediction of gene models and protein-coding transcripts has become feasible. Various reverse and forward genetics strategies have been followed to determine the functions of these gene models and regulatory sequences. Using T-DNA or transposons as tags, significant progress has been made by using "Knock-in" approaches ("gain-of-function" or "activation tagging") in different plant species but not in perennial plants species, e.g. long-lived trees. Here, large scale gene tagging resources are still lacking.

RESULTS

We describe the first application of an inducible transposon-based activation tagging system for a perennial plant species, as example a poplar hybrid (P. tremula L. × P. tremuloides Michx.). Four activation-tagged populations comprising a total of 12,083 individuals derived from 23 independent "Activation Tagging Ds" (ATDs) transgenic lines were produced and phenotyped. To date, 29 putative variants have been isolated and new ATDs genomic positions were successfully determined for 24 of those. Sequences obtained were blasted against the publicly available genome sequence of P. trichocarpa v2.0 (Phytozome v7.0; http://www.phytozome.net/poplar) revealing possible transcripts for 17 variants.In a second approach, 300 randomly selected individuals without any obvious phenotypic alterations were screened for ATDs excision. For one third of those transposition of ATDs was confirmed and in about 5% of these cases genes were tagged.

CONCLUSIONS

The novel strategy of first genotyping and then phenotyping a tagging population as proposed here is, in particular, applicable for long-lived, difficult to transform plant species. We could demonstrate the power of the ATDs transposon approach and the simplicity to induce ATDs transposition in vitro. Since a transposon is able to pass chromosomal boundaries, only very few primary transposon-carrying transgenic lines are required for the establishment of large transposon tagging populations. In contrast to T-DNA-based activation tagging, which is plagued by a lack of transformation efficiency and its time consuming nature, this for the first time, makes it feasible one day to tag (similarly to Arabidopsis) every gene within a perennial plant genome.

Tissue-specific defense and thermo-adaptive mechanisms of soybean seedlings under heat stress revealed by proteomic approach

A comparative proteomic approach was employed to explore tissue-specific protein expression patterns in soybean seedlings under heat stress. The changes in the protein expression profiles of soybean seedling leaves, stems, and roots were analyzed after exposure to high temperatures. A total of 54, 35, and 61 differentially expressed proteins were identified from heat-treated leaves, stems, and roots, respectively. Differentially expressed heat shock proteins (HSPs) and proteins involved in antioxidant defense were mostly up-regulated, whereas proteins associated with photosynthesis, secondary metabolism, and amino acid and protein biosynthesis were down-regulated in response to heat stress. A group of proteins, specifically low molecular weight HSPs and HSP70, were up-regulated and expressed in a similar manner in all tissues. Proteomic analysis indicated that the responses of HSP70, CPN-60 beta, and ChsHSP were tissue specific, and this observation was validated by immunoblot analysis. The heat-responsive sHSPs were not induced by other stresses such as cold and hydrogen peroxide. Taken together, these results suggest that to cope with heat stress soybean seedlings operate tissue-specific defenses and adaptive mechanisms, whereas a common defense mechanism associated with the induction of several HSPs was employed in all three tissues. In addition, tissue-specific proteins may play a crucial role in defending each type of tissues against thermal stress.

Efficient in vitro import of a cytosolic heat shock protein into pea chloroplasts

In order to further our understanding of the targeting of nuclear-encoded proteins into intracellular organelles, we have investigated the import of chimeric precursor proteins into pea chloroplasts. Two different chimeric precursor proteins were produced by in vitro expression of chimeric genes. One chimeric precursor contained the transit peptide of the small subunit of soybean ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase and the mature peptide of the same protein from pea. The second contained the same transit peptide plus 13 amino acids of the pea mature peptide fused to a cytosolic heat shock protein. The extent of import and binding of the two chimeric proteins was examined by using quantitative assays and was compared to the import of pea small subunit precursor. Both precursor proteins imported well into pea chloroplasts, although the extent of import observed with the chimeric small-subunit-heat shock precursor was less than that observed with the soybean-pea small subunit precursor. The heat shock protein alone did not import into nor bind to chloroplasts. The binding of both the chimeric small-subunit-heat shock protein and the soybean-pea small subunit precursor to chloroplasts was physiologically significant, as shown by the fact that when chloroplasts with bound precursors were isolated, these bound precursors could subsequently be imported.

Specific heat shock proteins are transported into chloroplasts

We demonstrate that in three plant species-soybean, pea, and corn-certain nuclear-encoded heat shock proteins are transported into chloroplasts. In vitro translation products of poly(A)-RNA from control or heat-shocked plants were incubated with isolated intact pea chloroplasts and differences in the profile of imported proteins were analyzed. In all three species, abundant polypeptides between 21 and 27 kDa are present in the heat shock sample and absent in the controls. These polypeptides are protected from trypsin and chymotrypsin digestion after their import into chloroplasts and are recovered primarily with the soluble chloroplast protein fraction. Chloroplasts isolated from pea or corn leaves labeled in vivo at heat shock temperatures, but not at normal growth temperatures, contain the same polypeptides observed in vitro. Synthesis of the heat shock polypeptides can be inhibited in vivo by cycloheximide but not by chloramphenicol, further indicating they are products of cytoplasmic protein synthesis. The in vitro transport experiments demonstrate that synthesis of the chloroplast-localized heat shock proteins results from heat-induced accumulation of the corresponding poly(A)-RNAs. The same mRNAs are also produced in response to heat shock by a nonphotosynthetic tissue, the etiolated soybean hypocotyl.

Role of heat stress transcription factor HsfA5 as specific repressor of HsfA4

Unlike other eukaryotes, plants possess a complex family of heat stress transcription factors (Hsfs) with usually more than 20 members. Among them, Hsfs A4 and A5 form a group distinguished from other Hsfs by structural features of their oligomerization domains and by a number of conserved signature sequences. We show that A4 Hsfs are potent activators of heat stress gene expression, whereas A5 Hsfs act as specific repressors of HsfA4 activity. The oligomerization domain of HsfA5 alone is necessary and sufficient to exert this effect. Due to the high specificity of the oligomerization domains, other class A Hsfs are not affected. Pull-down assay and yeast two-hybrid interaction tests demonstrate that the tendency to form HsfA4/A5 heterooligomers is stronger than the formation of homooligomers. The specificity of interaction between Hsfs A4 and A5 was confirmed by bimolecular fluorescence complementation experiments. The major role of the representatives of the HsfA4/A5 group, which are not involved in the conventional heat stress response, may reside in cell type-specific functions connected with the control of cell death triggered by pathogen infection and/or reactive oxygen species.

Inducible excision of selectable marker gene from transgenic plants by the cre/lox site-specific recombination system

In a plant transformation process, it is necessary to use marker genes that allow the selection of regenerated transgenic plants. However, selectable marker genes are generally superfluous once an intact transgenic plant has been established. Furthermore, they may cause regulatory difficulties for approving transgenic crop release and commercialization. We constructed a binary expression vector with the Cre/lox system with a view to eliminating a marker gene from transgenic plants conveniently. In the vector, recombinase gene cre under the control of heat shock promoter and selectable marker gene nptII under the control of CaMV35S promoter were placed between two lox P sites in direct orientation, while the gene of interest was inserted outside of the lox P sites. By using this vector, both cre and nptII genes were eliminated from most of the regenerated plants of primary transformed tobacco through heat shock treatment, while the gene of interest was retained and stably inherited. This auto-excision strategy, mediated by the Cre/lox system and subjected to heat shock treatment to eliminate a selectable marker gene, is easy to adopt and provides a promising approach to generate marker-free transgenic plants.

Small heat shock proteins are differentially regulated during pollen development and following heat stress in tobacco

In plants small heat shock proteins (sHsp) are abundantly expressed upon heat stress in vegetative tissue, however, sHsp expression is also developmentally induced in pollen. The developmental induction of sHsp has been related to the potential for stress-induced microspore embryogenesis. We investigated the polymorphism among sHsp and their expression during pollen development and after heat stress in tobacco. Real-time RT-PCR was used for quantification of mRNA of two known and nine newly isolated cDNAs representing cytosolic sHsp. At normal temperature most of these genes are not transcribed in vegetative tissues, however, all genes were expressed during pollen development. Low levels of mRNAs were found for sHsp-1A and -1B in early-unicellular stage, increasing four to sevenfold in mature pollen. Nine other genes are up-regulated in unicellular and down-regulated in bicellular pollen; three these genes show stage-specific expression. Western analysis revealed that cytosolic class I and II sHsp are developmentally expressed during all stages of pollen development. Different subsets of cytosolic sHsp genes are expressed in a stage-specific fashion suggesting that certain sHsp genes may play specific roles in early, others during later stages of pollen development. Heat stress results in a relatively weak and incomplete response in pollen: (i) the heat-induced levels of mRNA (excepting sHsp-2B, -3C and -6) are much lower than in leaves, (ii) several sHsp are not detected after heat stress in pollen, although, they are heat-inducibly expressed in leaves. Application of heat stress, cold, and starvation, which induce microspore embryogenesis, modify mRNA levels and the patterns of 2-D-separated sHsp, but only heat stress enhances the expression of sHsp in microspores. There is no correlation of the expression of specific sHsp with the potential for microspore embryogenesis.

Tomato heat stress transcription factor HsfB1 represents a novel type of general transcription coactivator with a histone-like motif interacting with the plant CREB binding protein ortholog HAC1

In contrast with the class A heat stress transcription factors (HSFs) of plants, a considerable number of HSFs assigned to classes B and C have no evident function as transcription activators on their own. However, in the following article, we provide evidence that tomato (Lycopersicon peruvianum) HsfB1 represents a novel type of coactivator cooperating with class A HSFs (e.g., with tomato HsfA1). Provided the appropriate promoter architecture, the two HSFs assemble into an enhanceosome-like complex, resulting in strong synergistic activation of reporter gene expression. Moreover, HsfB1 also cooperates in a similar manner with other activators, for example, with the ASF1/2 enhancer binding proteins of the 35S promoter of Cauliflower mosaic virus or with yet unidentified activators controlling housekeeping gene expression. By these effects, HsfB1 may help to maintain and/or restore expression of certain viral or housekeeping genes during ongoing heat stress. The coactivator function of HsfB1 depends on a histone-like motif in its C-terminal domain with an indispensable Lys residue in the center (GRGKMMK). This motif is required for recruitment of the plant CREB binding protein (CBP) ortholog HAC1. HsfA1, HsfB1, and HAC1/CBP form ternary complexes in vitro and in vivo with markedly enhanced efficiency in promoter recognition and transcription activation in plant and mammalian (COS7) cells. Using small interfering RNA-mediated knock down of HAC1 expression in Arabidopsis thaliana mesophyll protoplasts, the crucial role for the coactivator function of HsfB1 was confirmed.

Multiple small heat shock proteins in rhizobia

Seven genes coding for small heat shock proteins (sHsps) in Bradyrhizobium japonicum have been identified. They are organized in five operons that are coordinately regulated by ROSE, a negatively cis-acting DNA element. The deduced sHsps can be divided into two separate classes: class A, consisting of proteins that show similarity to Escherichia coli IbpA and IbpB, and class B, whose members display significant similarity to other sHsps from prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and Edman sequencing revealed the presence of at least 12 sHsps in B. japonicum, indicating a remarkable abundance of sHsps in this organism. Three additional members of class A and two potentially novel heat shock proteins were identified on the basis of their amino termini. The presence of multiple sHsps was also demonstrated for a variety of Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium species by immunoblot analysis and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. An extensive database survey revealed that, in contrast to the rhizobia, other bacteria contain maximally two sHsps whereas many plants have been reported to possess a sHsp superfamily.

The expression of heat-shock genes in higher plants

High-temperature stress or heat shock induces the vigorous synthesis of heat-shock proteins in many organisms including the higher plants. This response has been implicated in the acquisition of thermotolerance. The biological importance of a group of low-molecular-mass proteins in the response of plants is indicated by the conservation of the corresponding genes. The steady-state levels of mRNAs for these proteins shift from undetectable levels at normal temperature to about 20 000 molecules per gene in the cell after heat shock. The analysis of ‘run-off’ transcripts from isolated soybean nuclei suggests a transcriptional control of gene expression. The DNA sequence analysis of soybean heat-shock genes revealed a conservation of promoter sequences and 5'-upstream elements. A comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of polypeptides showed a conservation of structural features in heat-shock proteins between plants and animals. The implication of a common regulatory concept in the heat-shock response makes genes belonging to this family (15-18 kDa proteins) in soybean favourable candidates for investigating thermoregulation of transcription. We have exploited the natural gene transfer system ofAgrobacterium tumefaciensto introduce a soybean heat-shock gene into the genomes of sunflower and tobacco. The gene is thermoinducibly transcribed and transcripts are faithfully initiated in transgenic plants. Experiments are in progress to define the regulatory sequences 5'-upstream from the gene. The expression of heat-shock genes in a heterologous genetic background also provides the basis for studying the function of the proteins and their possible role in thermoprotection.

Plant mRNA 3'-end formation

Our understanding of how the 3' ends of mRNAs are formed in plants is rudimentary compared to what we know about this process in other eukaryotes. The salient features of plant pre-mRNAs that signal cleavage and polyadenylation remain obscure, and the biochemical mechanism is as yet wholly uncharacterized. Nevertheless, despite the lack of universally conserved cis-acting motifs, a common underlying architecture is emerging from functional analyses of plant poly(A) signals, allowing meaningful comparison with components of poly(A) signals in other eukaryotes. A plant poly(A) signal consists of one or more near-upstream elements (NUE), each directing processing at a poly(A) site a short distance downstream of it, and an extensive far-upstream element (FUE) that enhances processing efficiency at all sites. By analogy with other systems, a model for a plant 3'-end processing complex can be proposed. Plant poly(A) polymerases have been isolated and partially characterised. These, together with hints that some processing factors are conserved in different organisms, opens promising avenues toward initial characterisation of the trans-acting factors involved in 3'-end formation of mRNAs in higher plants.

Microsatellite and amplified sequence length polymorphisms in cultivated and wild soybean

The objectives of this study were to (i) assess the extent of genetic variation in soybean microsatellites (simple sequence repeats or SSRs), (ii) assay for amplified sequence length polymorphisms (ASLPs), and (iii) evaluate the usefulness of SSRs and ASLPs as genetic markers. Five microsatellites detected a total of 79 variants (alleles) in a sample of 94 accessions of wild (Glycine soja) and cultivated soybean (G. max). F2 segregation analysis of four of the five microsatellites identified these variants (alleles) with four loci located in independent linkage groups. The number of alleles per microsatellite locus ranged from 5 to 21; to our knowledge these are the largest numbers of alleles for single Mendelian loci reported in soybean. Allelic diversity for the SSR loci was greater in wild than in cultivated soybean. Overall, 43 more SSR alleles were detected in wild than in cultivated soybean. These results indicate that SSRs are the marker of choice, especially for species with low levels of variation as detected by other types of markers. Two alleles were detected at each of the three ASLP loci examined. A total of six ASLP alleles were observed in cultivated soybean and five were observed in wild soybean; all alleles detected in wild soybean were present in cultivated soybean. Allelic diversity values for the ASLP loci were near previous estimates for restriction fragment length polymorphisms and therefore ASLPs may be useful as genetic markers in site-directed mapping.

Extreme heterogeneity of polyadenylation sites in mRNAs encoding chloroplast RNA-binding proteins in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia

We have previously characterized nuclear cDNA clones encoding two RNA binding proteins, CP-RBP30 and CP-RBP-31, which are targeted to chloroplasts in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia. In this report we describe the analysis of the 3'-untranslated regions (3'-UTRs) in 22 CP-RBP30 and 8 CP-RBP31 clones which reveals that mRNAs encoding both proteins have a very complex polyadenylation pattern. Fourteen distinct poly(A) sites were identified among CP-RBP30 clones and four sites among the CP-RBP31 clones. The authenticity of the sites was confirmed by RNase A/T1 mapping of N. plumbaginifolia RNA. CP-RBP30 provides an extreme example of the heterogeneity known to be a feature of mRNA polyadenylation in higher plants. Using PCR we have demonstrated that CP-RBP genes in N. plumbaginifolia and N. sylvestris, in addition to the previously described introns interrupting the coding region, contain an intron located in the 3' non-coding part of the gene. In the case of the CP-RBP31, we have identified one polyadenylation event occurring in this intron.

The Pisum sativum TubA1 gene, a member of a small family of alpha-tubulin sequences

alpha- and beta-tubulin proteins are subunits of microtubules, which as primary elements of the plant cytoskeleton play major roles in plant cell division and cell morphogenesis. Several higher-plant alpha- and beta-tubulin gene families have been reported to have at least six to nine members each. Using genomic Southern hybridizations and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) experiments, we have found that the Pisum sativum (garden pea) genome has only four copies of alpha-tubulin sequences and a similar number of beta-tubulin sequences. We have characterized the pea alpha-tubulin gene TubA1. Its nucleotide sequence predicts a 452 amino acid product which is 89-98% identical to those predicted for other plant alpha-tubulins. By S1 nuclease analysis we have located the transcript start site at 102 bases upstream of the ATG. We have also shown that the TubA1 gene is expressed by northern hybridization with a gene-specific probe.

A novel anther-expressed adh-homologous gene in Lycopersicon esculentum

Two novel tandemly-oriented open reading frames (ORFs) with homology to alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) were isolated from tomato. The predicted amino acid composition for each of the two tandem adh genes indicates the presence of 22 and 21, respectively, of 22 amino acids conserved in ADH proteins from plants and animals. However, comparison to known plant adh genes reveals a significantly lower similarity indicating that they belong to a novel class of ADHs. According to mapping data, the adh-homologous ORFs do not represent either of the previously studied adh1 or adh2 genes of tomato. The tandem genes, termed adh3a and adh3b, mapped to a distal region of the long arm of chromosome 4, unlike adh1, which maps closer to the centromere. Adh3a and adh3b have over 90% similarity to each other at the nucleotide and putative peptide levels. The adh3a gene has ten exons and nine introns with the transcription initiation site 57 bp upstream of the translation start. A putative TATA box and polyadenylation site have been identified. Adh3a is transcribed and, according to cDNA sequence analysis, fully processed in the late stages of anther development. According to transformation analysis, tissue-specific regulatory elements reside within the -448 to +724 region. The termination codon of adh3a is separated from the putative adh3b translation start site by 789 bp of intervening sequence. The 5' untranscribed sequences of each gene contain a stretch of 68 bp with 78% similarity. Within this stretch are sequences which are homologous to sequences found in anaerobically-induced or pollen-expressed genes from various plant species.

Heat shock and development induce synthesis of a low-molecular-weight stress-responsive protein in the myxobacterium Stigmatella aurantiaca

In the fruiting body-forming myxobacterium Stigmatella aurantiaca a 21,000-M(r) protein, SP21, is synthesized during fruiting, heat shock, and stress induced by oxygen limitation. The corresponding gene was isolated from a gene expression library in lambda gt11 with an antiserum to the purified protein. The DNA sequence of the gene reveals that SP21 is a member of the alpha-crystallin family of low-molecular-weight heat shock proteins.

Poly(A) tail length of a heat shock protein RNA is increased by severe heat stress, but intron splicing is unaffected

The small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are induced in all eukaryotes in response to high temperature stress, but are most abundant among members of the plant kingdom where they accumulate in multiple subcellular compartments. We have analyzed the expression of the chloroplast-localized sHSP from Arabidopsis thaliana, HSP21, and characterized the structure of the gene encoding this protein to facilitate future genetic studies on the function of HSP21 in the heat shock response. HSP21 is encoded in Arabidopsis by a single gene whose coding region is interrupted by a single intron. Previous studies have shown that intron processing is disrupted by severe, abrupt heat stress but is protected by pretreatments that induce thermotolerance. The processing of the HSP21 transcript was investigated in response to an abrupt heat stress regime and a gradual heat stress regime, the latter of which is known to confer thermotolerance in plants. Under abrupt stress conditions the HSP21 transcript is somewhat longer than under gradual heat stress conditions. However, the molecular basis for the size difference is not impaired intron splicing, but rather a difference in the length of the poly(A) tail depending on the heat stress regime. The results suggest that an increase in poly(A) tail length may be a generalized response to severe, abrupt heat stress and that poly(A) tail metabolism may be one of numerous cellular processes normally protected in thermotolerant cells from the otherwise damaging effects of high temperature stress.

Primary structure of beta s-crystallin from human lens

The complete primary structure of beta s-crystallin from human lens is reported. The sequence was elucidated by automatic Edman degradation of tryptic and CNBr peptides. The blocked N-terminal dipeptide was identified by fast-atom-bombardment mass spectroscopy. The sequence comparison with other members of crystallin family reveals a closer relationship to human gamma-crystallin (53% identity) than with beta A3/A1 crystallin (37% identity). The structure, evolutionary characteristics and role of beta s-crystallin in lens are discussed.

AT-rich promoter elements of soybean heat shock gene Gmhsp17.5E bind two distinct sets of nuclear proteins in vitro

A 33 bp double-stranded oligonucleotide homologous to two AT-rich sequences located upstream (-907 to -889 and -843 to -826) to the start of transcription of heat shock gene Gmhsp17.5E of soybean stimulated transcription when placed 5' to a truncated (-140) maize Adh1 promoter. The chimeric promoter was assayed in vivo utilizing anaerobically stressed sunflower tumors transformed by a pTi-based vector of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Nuclear proteins extracted from soybean plumules were shown to bind double-stranded oligonucleotides homologous to AT-rich sequences in the 5' flanking regions of soybean beta-conglycinin, lectin, leghemoglobin and heat shock genes. These proteins were also shown to bind AT-rich probes homologous to homeobox protein binding sites from the Antennapedia and engrailed/fushi tarazu genes of Drosophila. Binding activity specific for AT-rich sequences showed a wide distribution among various plant organs and species. Preliminary characterization indicated that two sets of nuclear proteins from soybean bind AT-rich DNA sequences: a diverse high-molecular-weight (ca. 46-69 kDa) group, and a low-molecular-weight (23 and 32 kDa) group of proteins. The latter meets the operational criteria for high-mobility group proteins (HMGs).

Mutational analysis of a plant heat shock element

A total of 32 mutations were generated within the TATA-proximal site 1 (-72 to -47) of soybean heat shock gene Gmhsp17.5E in order to functionally define the optimal configuration of sequences within the heat shock element (HSE). Mutants were tested in vivo utilizing sunflower tumors transformed by a T-DNA based vector. Promoter activity was determined by S1 nuclease hybrid protection analysis of tumor transcripts. A total of five repeats (5'-nGAAn-3' or 5'-nTTCn-3') which comprise the HSE at site 1 were required for full transcription induction by heat stress. Analysis of non-conserved bases flanking the central trinucleotide block indicated that 5'-aGAAg'-3' is the optimum sequence for the 5 bp repeat.

Isolation and characterization of a small heat shock protein gene from maize

A maize (Zea mays L.) genomic clone (Zmempr 9') was isolated on the basis of its homology to a meiotically expressed Lilium sequence. Radiolabeled probe made from the maize genomic clone detected complementary RNA at high fidelity. Furthermore, it hybridized to RNA isolated from staged (an interval that is coincident with meiotic prophase) maize tassel spikelets. Complimentary RNA was strongly (at least 50-fold) induced during heat shock of maize somatic tissue and appeared as a single size class in Northern blot hybridizations. Sequencing of the complete coding region of Zmempr 9' confirmed the homology of the inferred amino acid sequence to other small heat shock proteins. Consensus sequences found in the flanking regions corresponded to the usual signals for initiation of RNA transcription, polyadenylate addition, and the induction of heat shock genes. The latter sequences conferred heat shock-specific transient expression in electroporated protoplasts when cloned into promoterless reporter gene plasmid constructs. Hybrid-selected translations revealed specific translation products ranging from 15 to 18 kilodaltons, providing evidence that this gene is a member of a related multigene family. We therefore conclude that this maize genomic DNA clone, recovered through its homology to clones for meiotic transcripts in lily, represents a genuine maize small heat shock protein gene.

Alfalfa heat shock genes are differentially expressed during somatic embryogenesis

We have isolated two cDNA clones (Mshsp18-1; Mshsp18-2) from alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) which encode for small heat shock proteins (HSPs) belonging to the hsp17 subfamily. The predicted amino acid sequences of the two alfalfa proteins are 92% identical and a similar degree of homology (90%) can be detected between Mshsp18-2 and the pea hsp17. In comparison to various members of small HSPs from soybean amino acid sequence similarities of 80-86% were identified. The alfalfa HSPs share a homologous stretch of amino acids in the carboxy terminal region with hsp22, 23, 26 from Drosophila. This region contains the GVLTV motif which is characteristic of several members of small HSPs. At room temperature alfalfa hsp18 mRNAs were not detectable in root and leaf tissues but northern analysis showed a low level of expression in microcallus suspension (MCS). The transcription of Mshsp18 genes is induced by elevated temperature, CdCl2 treatment and osmotic shock in cultured cells. In alfalfa somatic embryos derived from MCS a considerable amount of hsp18 mRNA can be detected during the early embryogenic stages under normal culture conditions. The differential expression of these genes during embryo development suggests a specific functional role for HSPs in plant cells at the time of the developmental switch in vitro.

Isolation and characterization of a soybean hsp70 gene

Soybean, like many other organisms, responds to an increase in growth temperature by producing a set of new proteins, heat shock proteins. The heat shock proteins have been classified into several categories according to their molecular weight. Data are presented on the isolation, sequence characterization, and expression of a 70 kDa heat shock protein gene from soybean. A cDNA clone was isolated using a Drosophila hsp70 clone as a heterologous probe, and the cDNA was used for isolation of the soybean gene corresponding to the cDNA. The structure of this soybean is very similar to the hsp70 genes from other organisms. It has several sequences in the 5' untranscribed region that are similar to the well characterized heat shock consensus element found in other organisms. These heat shock consensus elements have the expected position relative to the start of transcription. Unlike hsp70-like genes previously isolated from other plants, this gene does not have an intron. This protein shows high amino acid sequence similarity to other hsp70 proteins from such diverse organisms as Drosophila, rat, and Xenopus. This soybean gene is only expressed during heat shock. In addition to the hsp70 gene isolated here, there is evidence for many other hsp70-like genes in soybean.

In Vitro Interaction of Nuclear Proteins with the Promoter of Soybean Heat Shock Gene Gmhsp17.5E

Proteins present in crude nuclear extracts of soybean (Glycine max) plumules were shown to bind in vitro to the 5' flanking sequences of the soybean heat shock gene Gmhsp17.5E. The specificity of binding activity present in extracts from both control (28 degrees C) and heat shocked (40 degrees C) tissues was demonstrated by reciprocal competition experiments using gel mobility retardation assays. Footprinting experiments using DNase I with crude nuclear extracts indicated that a continuous stretch of 5' flanking sequences extending from -40 to -153 was protected from digestion in vitro. Nuclear proteins that were partially purified by heparin agarose chromatography were shown to bind specific TATA-proximal sequences containing the heat shock consensus elements (HSEs) (-73 to -49; -107 to -84) and AT-rich motifs (-119 to -153). Other binding sites within AT-rich sequences (-906 to -888, -868 to 863, -859 to 853, and -841 to -830), distal HSE elements (-568 to -532) and a TATA/dyad (-234 to -207) were also identified by DNase I footprinting of TATA-distal probes. DNA binding activities specific for the HSE and AT-rich sequences were present in nuclear extracts from both control and heat shocked tissues. Both types of binding activity were increased after heat shock treatment; HSE binding increased from 1.8- to 2.7-fold, and binding to AT-rich sequences showed an increase from 1.3- to 1.7-fold.

Comparison of the expression of two highly homologous members of the soybean ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase small subunit gene family

Two soybean ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase small subunit (SSU) genes, SRS1 and SRS4, are highly homologous over a region that includes 4 kb of 5' and 1 kb of 3' flanking sequences. The expression of these genes was compared using synthetic oligonucleotide probes. Analysis of a soybean leaf cDNA library indicates that SRS1 and SRS4 are the most highly expressed members of the soybean SSU gene family. Similar changes were observed in the RNA levels for these genes in response to white light, far-red light and darkness, although SRS1 was expressed at a four-fold higher level in total RNA than SRS4 under all conditions. However, nuclear run-on assays indicate that SRS1 is transcribed at a lower rate than SRS4, which suggests that SRS1 RNA is more stable. S1 nuclease analysis and oligonucleotide directed RNase H cleavage indicate that transcripts from both genes are polyadenylated within two principle regions separated by 35 nt. Sequence analysis of 16 independent cDNA clones identified seven different polyadenylation sites, and six of these sites lie within these two regions. Although SRS1 RNA was poorly recovered during poly(A)+ fractionation, RNase H cleavage experiments showed that transcripts from SRS1 and SRS4 had similar poly (A) tail lengths ranging from 0 to 220 nt. In addition, and despite differences in the untranslated leader sequences, SRS1 and SRS4 RNAs are assembled into polysomes with equal efficiencies. The overall similarity in expression patterns for these two genes further illustrates the coordinate evolution of individual members of a SSU gene family and is consistent with the proposal that gene conversion homogenizes both the coding and regulatory regions of these genes.

Development of a heat shock inducible expression cassette for plants: characterization of parameters for its use in transient expression assays

A heat-inducible expression cassette has been constructed to study the conditional expression of sense or antisense orientations of any sequence of interest in transgenic plants or plant tissues. The construct includes the promoter and all but 5 bases of the mRNA leader from the soybean Gmhsp17.5-E gene, the polylinker from pUC18 (modified to remove the ATG), and a fragment that contains the polyadenylation signal and site from the nopaline synthase gene. Analysis of transient expression of a construct containing the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) coding sequence cloned in the cassette and introduced into Nicotiana plumbaginifolia protoplasts by electroporation shows that the promoter has high expression at heat shock temperatures. This construct is expressed at a roughly 80-fold higher level per unit time than a cauliflower mosaic virus 35S gene promoter-GUS construction. The heat shock promoter is regulated positively by supercoiling in this transient assay system. The level of expression of HS-GUS constructions with the polyadenylation sites from either the nopaline synthase gene or the Gmhsp17.5-E gene was similar. Constructs with a perfect fusion at the 5' end had higher levels of expression than those with the corresponding nonperfect transcriptional fusion.

A novel Bacillus subtilis gene involved in negative control of sporulation and degradative-enzyme production

We have cloned a 2.5-kilobase fragment of the Bacillus subtilis genomic DNA which caused the reduction of extracellular and cell-associated protease levels when present in high copy number. This fragment, in multicopy, was also responsible for reduced levels of alpha-amylase, levansucrase, alkaline phosphatase, and sporulation inhibition. The gene relevant to this pleiotropic phenotype is referred to as pai. By DNA sequencing, two open reading frames--ORF1 and ORF2, encoding polypeptides of 172 and 207 amino acid residues, respectively--were found. These open reading frames seemed to form an operon. Deletion analysis revealed that an entire region for ORF1 and ORF2 was necessary for the pai phenotype. In addition, it was observed that the presence of the pai gene, in multicopy, caused overproduction of two proteins (molecular masses, 21 and 24 kilodaltons [kDa]). Analyses of the N-terminal amino acid sequences of these two proteins suggested that they were products of ORF1 and ORF2. Disruption of the pai gene at ORF1 in the genomic DNA resulted in the release of repression on protease synthesis and sporulation in glucose-enriched (2%) medium. The mutant carrying insertional disruption at ORF2 could not be constructed, suggesting that the ORF2 product, the 24-kDa protein, is essential for growth. The 21-kDa protein contains a helix-turn-helix domain observed in other DNA-binding proteins. Chromosomal mapping of pai indicated that this gene is located close to thr-5. These results suggest that the pai gene is a novel transcriptional-regulation gene involved in glucose repression.

hsp26 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is related to the superfamily of small heat shock proteins but is without a demonstrable function

Analysis of the cloned gene confirms that hsp26 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a member of the small heat shock protein superfamily. Previous mutational analysis failed to demonstrate any function for the protein. Further experiments presented here demonstrate that hsp26 has no obvious regulatory role and no major effect on thermotolerance. It is possible that the small heat shock protein genes originated as primitive viral or selfish DNA elements.

Regulatory domains of the Gmhsp17.5-E heat shock promoter of soybean

Promoter domains required for in vivo transcriptional expression of soybean heat shock gene Gmhsp17.5-E were identified by insertion-deletion mutagenesis with transgenic expression monitored in Agrobacterium tumefaciens-incited tumors of sunflower. Removal of the TATA-distal domain from position -1175 to position -259 had little effect on overall activity. The four regions contributing to promoter activity identified by this study all map within 244 base pairs from the start of transcription. The most distal cis-acting element of major significance was located from -244 to -179 and contains a conserved TATA-dyad motif centered at -220. Sequences from -179 to -40 comprise the TATA-proximal domain and include an AT-rich region and two sites containing heat shock consensus elements (HSEs). Deletion of the HSE centered at -93 (site 2) severely reduced transcriptional activity. Heat-inducible expression was also eliminated by internal deletion of either the TATA motif or the overlapping HSEs at site 1, indicating that each of these regions is also a major determinant of promoter activity.

Characterization of two genes encoding small heat-shock proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana

Using the technique of differential hybridization screening, we have isolated the cDNAs for two low-molecular-mass heat-shock proteins and their corresponding genes, HSP17.4 and HSP18.2, from Arabidopsis thaliana. These two genes encode polypeptides that are 79.2% identical to each other with respect to amino acid sequence, and contain several overlapping sequences that are similar to the consensus sequences for the heat-shock elements (HSE) in Drosophila in the regions upstream from the promoters. The 5' region of the HSP18.2 gene has been fused, in frame, to the uidA gene from Escherichia coli which encodes beta-glucuronidase (GUS), and the product has been introduced into petunia by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. We have demonstrated that the GUS activity in transformed petunia plants is enhanced by heat shock.

hsp26 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is related to the superfamily of small heat shock proteins but is without a demonstrable function

Analysis of the cloned gene confirms that hsp26 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a member of the small heat shock protein superfamily. Previous mutational analysis failed to demonstrate any function for the protein. Further experiments presented here demonstrate that hsp26 has no obvious regulatory role and no major effect on thermotolerance. It is possible that the small heat shock protein genes originated as primitive viral or selfish DNA elements.

Conserved function in Nicotiana tabacum of a single Drosophila hsp70 promoter heat shock element when fused to a minimal T-DNA promoter

To demonstrate the extent of evolutionary conservation in the mechanism of induction of heat shock genes between plants and animals, the minimal sequence from the Drosophila hsp70 promoter sufficient to confer heat shock inducible transcription in tobacco was determined. Segments of the hsp70 promoter were fused to a minimal promoter of the T-DNA indole-3-acetamide hydrolase (iaaH) gene, in a chimaeric gene fusion to a neomycin phosphotransferase (NPT II) reporter gene. Sequences bearing one or more heat shock elements (HSEs) rendered the minimal promoter heat shock inducible, with a 37 bp fragment containing a single complete HSE sufficing. The induced NPT II mRNA peaked during the heat shock period, but the maximal level of NPT II activity was not observed until 4 h later in the recovery phase, showing that the translation of the NPT II mRNA was shifted from the heat shock period of the recovery phase. That similar sequences containing a single HSE of the Drosophila hsp70 promoter could function in both flies and tobacco indicates the high degree of homology between the two heat shock gene induction systems.

Regulatory domains of the Gmhsp17.5-E heat shock promoter of soybean

Promoter domains required for in vivo transcriptional expression of soybean heat shock gene Gmhsp17.5-E were identified by insertion-deletion mutagenesis with transgenic expression monitored in Agrobacterium tumefaciens-incited tumors of sunflower. Removal of the TATA-distal domain from position -1175 to position -259 had little effect on overall activity. The four regions contributing to promoter activity identified by this study all map within 244 base pairs from the start of transcription. The most distal cis-acting element of major significance was located from -244 to -179 and contains a conserved TATA-dyad motif centered at -220. Sequences from -179 to -40 comprise the TATA-proximal domain and include an AT-rich region and two sites containing heat shock consensus elements (HSEs). Deletion of the HSE centered at -93 (site 2) severely reduced transcriptional activity. Heat-inducible expression was also eliminated by internal deletion of either the TATA motif or the overlapping HSEs at site 1, indicating that each of these regions is also a major determinant of promoter activity.

The maize transposable element Ac excises in progeny of transformed tobacco

To assess the potential of the maize transposable element Ac for gene tagging in heterologous plant species we monitored transcription, excision and transposition of the element in transgenic tobacco plants and their selfed progeny. Ac excised in the majority of primary regenerants and continued to excise in the first-generation progeny plants. In one primary regenerant Ac was transcribed but did not excise. Fourteen of eighteen kanamycin-resistant progeny from this plant showed Ac excision, suggesting that excision of Ac may have been activated during meiosis or in embryo development. This finding, together with the more general observation of continued Ac mobility in the progeny of transformed plants in which Ac had excised, suggests that Ac will be useful for gene tagging.

The nuclear-coded chloroplast 22-kDa heat-shock protein of Chlamydomonas. Evidence for translocation into the organelle without a processing step

A cDNA clone, pCHS62, was isolated using poly(A)-rich RNA from heat-shocked Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cells. The clone has a length of 1.1 kb and codes for the complete heat-shock protein which was reported to be associated with the grana region of the thylakoid membranes and ascribes protection against photoinhibition during heat-shock. An expression vector prepared in the pUC19 plasmid was used to obtain a fusion protein against which rabbit polyclonal antibodies have been raised. The antibodies react specifically with the heat-shock protein of 22 kDa synthesized in vivo during heat-shock, which is localized in the grana thylakoids, with the in vitro translated product using poly(A)-rich RNA from heat-treated cells as well as with the hybrid release translation product of the pCHS62 clone. The clone was sequenced. It contains a 5' region consisting of 85 nucleotides, an open reading frame of 471 nucleotides and a non-coding 3' region of 600 nucleotides. Northern hybridization indicates a length of 1.7 kb for the messenger RNA of heat-shock protein 22. Analysis of similarity between the derived amino acid sequence of this protein and other heat-shock proteins demonstrates that this protein belongs to the small-molecular-mass plant heat-shock protein family and also shows similarities with animal heat-shock proteins including the presence of a short region possessing similarity with bovine alpha-crystalline as reported for other heat-shock proteins. The molecular mass of the protein as determined from the sequence is 16.8 kDa. Despite its localization in the chloroplast membranes, it does not seem to include a transit peptide sequence, in agreement with previous data. The sequence contains only a short hydrophobic region compatible with its previously reported localization as a thylakoid extrinsic protein.

The intracellular location of yeast heat-shock protein 26 varies with metabolism

An antibody highly specific for heat-shock protein (hsp)26, the unique small hsp of yeast, and mutants carrying a deletion of the HSP26 gene were used to examine the physical properties of the protein and to determine its intracellular distribution. The protein was found in complexes with a molecular mass of greater than 500 kD. Thus, it has all of the characteristics, including sequence homology and induction patterns, of small hsps from other organisms. When log-phase cells growing in glucose were heat shocked, hsp26 concentrated in nuclei and continued to concentrate in nuclei when these cells were returned to normal temperatures for recovery. However, hsp26 did not concentrate in nuclei under a variety of other conditions. For example, in early stationary-phase cells hsp26 is induced at normal growth temperatures. This protein was generally distributed throughout the cells, even after heat shock. Similarly, in cells genetically engineered to synthesize hsp26 in the presence of galactose, hsp26 did not concentrate in nuclei, with or without a heat shock. To determine if the failure of hsp26 to concentrate in the nucleus of these cells was due to the fact that the protein had been produced at 25 degrees C or to a difference in the physiological state of the cell, we investigated the distribution of the heat-induced protein in cells grown under several different conditions. In wild-type cells grown in galactose or acetate and in mitochondrial mutants grown in glucose or galactose, hsp26 also failed to concentrate in nuclei with a heat shock. We conclude that the intracellular location of hsp26 in yeast depends upon the physiological state of the cell and not simply upon the presence or absence of heat stress. Our findings may explain why previous investigations of the intracellular localization of small hsps in a variety of organisms have yielded seemingly contradictory results.

Characterization of Gmhsp26-A, a stress gene encoding a divergent heat shock protein of soybean: heavy-metal-induced inhibition of intron processing

We determined the DNA sequence and mapped the corresponding transcripts of a genomic clone containing the Gmhsp26-A gene of soybean. This gene is homologous to the previously characterized cDNA clone pCE54 (E. Czarnecka, L. Edelman, F. Schöffl, and J. L. Key, Plant Mol. Biol. 3:45-58, 1984) and is expressed in response to a wide variety of physiological stresses including heat shock (HS). S1 nuclease mapping of transcripts and a comparison of the cDNA sequence with the genomic sequence indicated the presence of a soybean seedlings with either CdCl2 or CuSO4. Analysis of the 5' termini of transcripts indicated the presence of one major and at least two minor start sites. In each case, initiation occurred 27 to 30 base pairs downstream from a TATA-like motif, and thus each initiation site appears to be promoted by the activity of a separate subpromoter. The three subpromoters are all associated with sequences showing low homology to the HS consensus element of Drosophila melanogaster HS genes and are differentially induced in response to various stresses. Within the carboxyl-terminal half of the protein, hydropathy analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence indicated a high degree of relatedness to the small HS proteins. A comparison of the primary amino acid sequence of hsp26-A with sequences of the small HS proteins suggested that this stress protein is highly diverged and may therefore be specialized for stress adaptation in soybean.

Characterization of Gmhsp26-A, a stress gene encoding a divergent heat shock protein of soybean: heavy-metal-induced inhibition of intron processing

We determined the DNA sequence and mapped the corresponding transcripts of a genomic clone containing the Gmhsp26-A gene of soybean. This gene is homologous to the previously characterized cDNA clone pCE54 (E. Czarnecka, L. Edelman, F. Schöffl, and J. L. Key, Plant Mol. Biol. 3:45-58, 1984) and is expressed in response to a wide variety of physiological stresses including heat shock (HS). S1 nuclease mapping of transcripts and a comparison of the cDNA sequence with the genomic sequence indicated the presence of a soybean seedlings with either CdCl2 or CuSO4. Analysis of the 5' termini of transcripts indicated the presence of one major and at least two minor start sites. In each case, initiation occurred 27 to 30 base pairs downstream from a TATA-like motif, and thus each initiation site appears to be promoted by the activity of a separate subpromoter. The three subpromoters are all associated with sequences showing low homology to the HS consensus element of Drosophila melanogaster HS genes and are differentially induced in response to various stresses. Within the carboxyl-terminal half of the protein, hydropathy analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence indicated a high degree of relatedness to the small HS proteins. A comparison of the primary amino acid sequence of hsp26-A with sequences of the small HS proteins suggested that this stress protein is highly diverged and may therefore be specialized for stress adaptation in soybean.

A heat shock protein localized to chloroplasts is a member of a eukaryotic superfamily of heat shock proteins

We have isolated cDNA clones from soybean and pea that specify nuclear-encoded heat shock proteins (HSPs) which localize to chloroplasts. The mRNAs for these HSPs are undetectable at control temperatures, but increase approximately 150-fold during a 2-h heat shock. Hybridization-selection followed by in vitro translation demonstrates that these HSPs are synthesized as precursor proteins which are processed by the removal of 5-6.5 kd during import into isolated chloroplasts. The nucleotide sequence of the cDNAs shows the derived amino acid sequences of the mature pea and soybean proteins are 79% identical. While the predicted transit peptide encoded by the pea cDNA has some characteristics typical of transit sequences, including high Ser content, multiple basic residues and no acidic residues, it lacks two domains proposed to be important for import and maturation of other chloroplast proteins. The carboxy-terminal region of the chloroplast HSP has significant homology to cytoplasmic HSPs from soybean and other eukaryotes. We hypothesize that the chloroplast HSP shares a common structural and functional domain with low mol. wt HSPs which localize to other parts of the cell, and may have evolved from a nuclear gene.

Nucleotide sequence of the PR-1 gene of Nicotiana tabacum

A gene encoding one of the pathogenesis-related proteins, PR1a, and two related pseudogenes were isolated from Nicotiana tabacum. The cloned PR1a gene (pPR-gamma) and one of the pseudogenes (pPR-alpha) were sequenced and found to have similar structures. The sequence of pPR-gamma was quite similar to that of the cDNA clone of PR1a. The plasmid pPR-gamma did not contain an intron and had a typical promoter sequence in the 5'-flanking region.