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ABSTRACT: The cellular localization of heat-shock proteins has been described in a number of experimental animal systems but is not well defined in plant systems. Sense and antisense RNA transcripts from the open reading frame (ORF) of 18-kDa maize heat-shock protein genes were employed in in situ hybridizations of inbred Oh43 radicles and plumules to reveal the locations of their mRNAs. Localization of the specific mRNAs to the younger meristematic cells of the root-tips and shoot-tips and also to the densely cytoplasmic cells of the vasculature was observed routinely. The ORF of one of our 18-kDa genes was cloned into an expression vector, and the 161-amino acid polypeptide was used to raise antibodies. Using a Fast Red procedure, the cellular positions of the heat-shock protein-antibody conjugates were observed in sections similar to those employed in the antisense RNA in situ hybridizations. The localization of the antibody appears to parallel closely the patterns of distribution of the mRNAs.
Developmental Genetics 02/1996; 18(3):244-53.
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ABSTRACT: We have isolated two genes from Zea mays encoding proteins of 82 and 81 kD that are highly homologous to the Drosophila 83-kD heat shock protein gene and have analyzed the structure and pattern of expression of these two genes during heat shock and development. Southern blot analysis and hybrid select translations indicate that the highly homologous hsp82 and hsp81 genes are members of a small multigene family composed of at least two and perhaps three or more gene family members. The deduced amino acid sequence of these proteins based on the nucleotide sequence of the coding regions shows 64-88% amino acid homology to other hsp90 family genes from human, yeast, Drosophila, and Arabidopsis. The promoter regions of both the hsp82 and hsp81 genes contain several heat shock elements (HSEs), which are putative binding sites for heat shock transcription factor (HSF) commonly found in the promoters of other heat shock genes. Gene-specific oligonucleotide probes were synthesized and used to examine the mRNA expression patterns of the hsp81 and hsp82 genes during heat shock, embryogenesis, and pollen development. The hsp81 gene is only mildly heat inducible in leaf tissue, but is strongly expressed in the absence of heat shock during the pre-meiotic and meiotic prophase stages of pollen development and in embryos, as well as in heat-shocked embryos and tassels. The hsp82 gene shows strong heat inducibility at heat-shock temperatures (37-42 degrees C) and in heat shocked embryos and tassels but is only weakly expressed in the absence of heat shock. Promoter-GUS reporter gene fusions made and analyzed by transient expression assays in Black Mexican Sweet (BMS) Maize protoplasts also indicate that the hsp82 and hsp81 are regulated differentially. The hsp82 promoter confers strong heat-inducible expression of the GUS reporter gene in heat-treated cells (60- to 80-fold over control levels), whereas the hsp81 promoter is only weakly heat inducible (5- to 10-fold over control levels).
Developmental Genetics 02/1993; 14(1):27-41.
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ABSTRACT: The small (18-kDa) heat shock proteins (hsps) of maize are encoded by a complex multigene family. In a previous report, we described the genetic information from cDNAs encoding two different members of the family. In this communication, we report the isolation and characterization of cDNA and genomic clones encoding information for a third member of this hsp family (c/gMHSP18-1). DNA fragments containing nucleotide sequences common to, or specific for, each of these characterized 18-kDa genes were prepared and used as probes to assess the expression of these genes during microsporogenesis and development of the gametophyte in an inbred line of maize (Oh43). Our results demonstrate (1) that mRNA transcripts encoding the 18-kDa hsps are expressed and/or accumulate during microsporogenesis, and (2) that genes encoding two of the characterized 18-kDa hsps are expressed and/or accumulate independently, in a stage-specific manner during microsporogenesis. These observations imply that the stage-specific expression of particular 18-kDa hsp genes results from gene-specific regulation during microsporogenesis and gametophyte development rather than from an overall activation of the heat shock or stress response.
Developmental Genetics 02/1993; 14(1):15-26.
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R A Bouchard
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ABSTRACT: The inserts of plasmid cDNA clones for transcripts showing meiotic prophase specific expression show cross reassociation to varying degrees of intensity with one another. These clones were recovered from a cDNA library made from Lilium microsporocyte poly(A)+ RNA. RNA-dot and Northern-blot analyses indicate that these clones represent transcripts specific to the meiotic prophase interval in microsporocytes. The transcripts appear to constitute the most abundant class of meiosis-specific poly(A)+ RNAs. At least two subgroups can be distinguished by examining cloned transcripts from genes of this expressed meiotic prophase repeat (EMPR) sequence family. Members of each subgroup have similar although not identical restriction maps and show relatively high but varying fidelities of DNA cross reassociation between members. However, consensus restriction maps of the two subgroups are largely dissimilar and, except at low stringencies, cross reassociation is readily detected only at restriction fragments from a particular conserved internal segment. The DNA sequence of a representative EMPR clone has been determined, and the inferred peptide product has been found to show extensive sequence homology to that of a small heat-shock gene of Glycine max, particularly in the conserved region. Alignment of the sequences for the conserved regions of two EMPR subgroup representatives with the soybean sequence suggests that selection has acted to conserve similar blocks of amino acids in this area. These observations suggest that a major portion of the transcripts produced during the apparently unrelated processes of meiosis and heat shock in higher plants are derived from related gene sequences encoding similar products.
Genome 03/1990; 33(1):68-79. · 1.65 Impact Factor
