Identification, characterization, and analysis of cDNA and genomic sequences encoding two different small heat shock proteins in Hordeum vulgare.

In vitro translation of mRNAs prepared from barley (Hordeum vulgare) seedlings (cv. Onice) exposed at 40 degrees C directed the synthesis of major heat shock proteins (HSPs) with molecular masses of 80-90, 70, 42 and 16-22 kDa. A cDNA library prepared from the 40 degrees C mRNAs and screened by differential hybridization led to the isolation of heat shock specific sequences. One of these (Hv hsp18) was confirmed by hybrid-arrested and hybrid-released translation as encoding for an 18-kDa HSP. The barley hsp18 sequence has an open reading frame encoding a 160 amino acid residue 18-kDa protein that is 63% identical to wheat 16.9-kDa HSP (clone C5-8), 54% identical to soybean (Glycine max) 17.5-kDa HSP, and 49% identical to Arabidopsis thaliana 17.6-kDa HSP. Lower similarities were found with class II plant small HSPs such as soybean 17.9-kDa HSP (27%), Pisum sativum 17.7-kDa HSP (30%), wheat (Triticum aestivum) 17.3-kDa HSP (clone Ta hsp 17.3) (30%), and with animal small HSPs and alpha-crystallins. The Hv hsp18 sequence was used to pick up Hv hsp17 genomic sequence encoding for another class I 17-kDa HSP. By computer analysis of the nucleotide sequence the TATA box, two heat shock promoter elements, a metal-ion response element, and the polyadenylation signals were identified. Barley HSP18 has an additional cysteine-rich region when compared with HSP17 mapping at the carboxy terminal end.