ZmHSP16.9, a cytosolic class I small heat shock protein in maize (Zea mays), confers heat tolerance in transgenic tobacco

Plant Cell Rep. 2012 Aug;31(8):1473-84. doi: 10.1007/s00299-012-1262-8. Epub 2012 Apr 26.

Abstract

Various organisms produce HSPs in response to high temperature and other stresses. The function of heat shock proteins, including small heat shock protein (sHSP), in stress tolerance is not fully explored. To improve our understanding of sHSPs, we isolated ZmHSP16.9 from maize. Sequence alignments and phylogenetic analysis reveal this to be a cytosolic class I sHSP. ZmHSP16.9 expressed in root, leaf and stem tissues under 40 °C treatment, and was up-regulated by heat stress and exogenous H₂O₂. Overexpression of ZmHSP16.9 in transgenic tobacco conferred tolerance to heat and oxidative stresses by increased seed germination rate, root length, and antioxidant enzyme activities compared with WT plants. These results support the positive role of ZmHSP16.9 in response to heat stress in plant.

Key message: The overexpression of ZmHSP16.9 enhanced tolerance to heat and oxidative stress in transgenic tobacco.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Physiological* / drug effects
  • Adaptation, Physiological* / genetics
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Cytosol / drug effects
  • Cytosol / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / drug effects
  • Genes, Plant / genetics
  • Germination / drug effects
  • Heat-Shock Proteins, Small / chemistry
  • Heat-Shock Proteins, Small / metabolism*
  • Hot Temperature*
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / pharmacology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nicotiana / drug effects
  • Nicotiana / enzymology
  • Nicotiana / genetics*
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Phylogeny
  • Plant Proteins / chemistry
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism*
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Protein Transport / drug effects
  • Seedlings / drug effects
  • Seedlings / growth & development
  • Seeds / drug effects
  • Seeds / growth & development
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Species Specificity
  • Stress, Physiological / drug effects
  • Stress, Physiological / genetics
  • Subcellular Fractions / drug effects
  • Subcellular Fractions / metabolism
  • Transgenes / genetics
  • Zea mays / drug effects
  • Zea mays / genetics
  • Zea mays / metabolism*

Substances

  • Heat-Shock Proteins, Small
  • Plant Proteins
  • Hydrogen Peroxide