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A nuclear-localized HSP70 confers thermoprotective activity and drought-stress tolerance on plants

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Abstract

To investigate the function of nuclear-localized plant HSP70, we used NtHSP70-1 isolated from Nicotiana tabacum. The subcellular localization of NtHSP70-1 was identified by fluorescence microscopy for NtHSP70-1/GFP or smGFP fusion proteins in onion epidermal cells, obtained using particle gun bombardment. To analyze the drought-stress tolerance and thermoprotective role of NtHSP70-1, we obtained transgenic tobacco plants that constitutively expressed elevated levels of NtHSP70-1 as well as transgenic plants containing either the vector alone or else having NtHSP70-1 in the antisense orientation. From analysis for genomic DNA in transgenic seedlings after heat stress, NtHSP70-1 helps to prevent the fragmentation and degradation of nuclear DNA during heat stress. In addition, seedlings constitutively overexpressing NtHSP70-1 grew to be healthy plants, whereas transgenic vector or antisense seedlings resulted in death after heat-/drought-stress.

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Correspondence to Eun Kyung Cho.

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Cho, E.K., Choi, Y.J. A nuclear-localized HSP70 confers thermoprotective activity and drought-stress tolerance on plants. Biotechnol Lett 31, 597–606 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-008-9880-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-008-9880-5

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