The pink stem borer, Sesamia inferens (Walker), is a major pest of rice and is endemic in China and other parts of Asia. Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) encompass a diverse, widespread class of stress proteins that have not been characterized in S. inferens. In the present study, we isolated and characterized three S. inferens genes that encode members of the α-crystallin/sHSP family, namely,...

While seed priming (hydration in water or osmotic solutions followed by drying) enhances seed germination performance, the longevity of primed seeds in storage often is reduced. Postpriming treatments including a reduction in seed water content followed by incubation at 37 or 40 °C for 2 to 4 h can substantially restore potential longevity in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) seeds. These ...

We have defined amino acids important for function of the Arabidopsis thaliana Hsp100/ClpB chaperone (AtHsp101) in acquired thermotolerance by isolating recessive, loss-of-function mutations and a novel semidominant, gain-of-function allele [hot1-4 (A499T)]. The hot1-4 allele is unusual in that it not only fails to develop thermotolerance to 45 degrees C after acclimation at 38 degrees C, but a...

Eye lens a-crystallin is a member of the small heat shock protein (sHSP) family and forms large multimeric structures. Earlier studies have shown that it can act like a molecular chaperone and form a stable complex with partially unfolded proteins. We have observed that prior binding of the hydrophobic protein melittin to a-crystallin diminishes its chaperone-like activity toward denaturing alc...

Different genetic programs that are active during late stages of zygotic embryogenesis are involved in seed phenotypes as longevity, basal thermotolerance, and desiccation tolerance. In sunflower, Heat Shock Factor A9 (HaHSFA9) controls one of such programs, the HaHSFA9 program. Overexpression of HaHSFA9 in seeds of transgenic tobacco showed the involvement of this transcription factor in basal...

CRYAB (αB-crystallin) is expressed in many tissues and yet the R120G mutation in CRYAB causes tissue-specific pathologies, namely cardiomyopathy and cataract. Here, we present evidence to demonstrate that there is a specific functional interaction of CRYAB with desmin intermediate filaments that predisposes myocytes to disease caused by the R120G mutation. We use a variety of biochemical and bi...

Background:  Stresses such as heat shock, starvation, or osmotic is essential to lead isolated microspores towards embryogenesis. Despite the effectiveness of stresses in embryogenesis, they exert adverse effects on metabolism and growth of the regenerated plants. Objectives: The effects of heat shock and 2,4-D treatment on total protein content of treated microspores, morphological and physiol...

Molecular chaperones are known to be involved in many cellular functions, however, a detailed and comprehensive overview of the interactions between chaperones and their cofactors and substrates is still absent. Systematic analysis of physical TAP-tag based protein-protein interactions of all known 63 chaperones in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been carried out. These chaperones include seven sm...

objective(s):brucellosis is a well-known domestic animal infectious disease, which is caused by brucella bacterium. groel antigen increases brucella survival and is one of the major antigens that stimulates the immune system. hence, the objective of the present study was cloning and bioinformatics analysis of groel gene. materials and methods: the full-length open reading frame of this gene was...