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A 10-kDa class-CI sHsp protects E. coli from oxidative and high-temperature stress

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Abstract

We report on a new cDNA clone (Qshsp10.4-CI) of a Quercus suber L. class-CI small heat-shock protein (sHsp) obtained from cork (phellem), a highly oxidatively stressed plant tissue. The deduced gene product lacks the C-terminal extension and the consensus I region of the α-crystallin domain, being the most C-terminally truncated sHsp reported to date. In an attempt to prove that a protective function is possible for such a truncated sHsp, we overexpressed in Escherichia coli three recombinant sHsp-CIs, one (rQsHsp10.4-CI) showing the same truncation as Qshsp10.4-CI, a second (rN49) lacking the whole α-crystallin domain, and a third (rN153) consisting of a full-length sHsp-CI. The overexpression of rN153 and, remarkably, rQsHsp10.4-CI but not rN49 enhanced cell viability under high temperature and, interestingly, under oxidative stress. These results show that the C-terminal extension and the consensus I region of the α-crystallin domain are dispensable, but amino acids 1–41 of the α-crystallin domain (including the consensus II region) are essential for the protective activity of sHsp-CIs. On the other hand, two-dimensional immunodetection patterns showed accumulation of ca. 10-kDa sHsp-CI immunorelated polypeptides in cork and other oxidatively stressed tissues but not in control and heat-stressed tissues. We discuss the possible role of highly truncated sHsps in relation to oxidative stress.

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Fig. 1.
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Abbreviations

2D:

two-dimensional

sHsp:

small heat-shock protein

sHsp-CI:

class-I sHsp

IPTG:

isopropyl β-d-thiogalactopyranoside

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Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (Ramon y Cajal and INIA CAL01-058-C2-2 project).

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  1. Maria Pla

    Present address: Tecnologia dels Aliments INTEA–EQATA, Universitat de Girona, 17071, Girona, Spain

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratori del suro, Facultat de ciències, Universitat de Girona, Campus Montilivi, 17071, Girona, Spain

    Anna Jofré, Marisa Molinas & Maria Pla

Authors
  1. Anna Jofré
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  2. Marisa Molinas
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  3. Maria Pla
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Correspondence to Marisa Molinas.

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Jofré, A., Molinas, M. & Pla, M. A 10-kDa class-CI sHsp protects E. coli from oxidative and high-temperature stress. Planta 217, 813–819 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-003-1048-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-003-1048-x

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