| Abstract Detail
Temperature Responses Fu, Jianming [1], Momcilovic, Ivana [2], Ristic, Zoran [3]. How many chloroplast EF-Tu genes exist in maize and wheat? Chloroplast protein synthesis elongation factor, EF-Tu, is a highly conserved, nuclear-encoded protein that plays a role in protein synthesis by catalyzing the GTP-dependent binding of aminoacyl-tRNA to the A site of the ribosome. Recent studies have suggested that this protein also plays a role in heat tolerance, possibly by acting as a molecular chaperone. In maize and wheat, EF-Tu is upregulated under heat stress conditions and the heat-induced upregulation of EF-Tu correlates with the heat tolerance phenotype. We speculate that maize and wheat may have multiple copies of EF-Tu gene some of which may be upregulated under stress conditions. As a step in testing this hypothesis, we investigated the number of EF-Tu genes and the number of EF-Tu protein isoforms in these two species. We employed southern blot analysis and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis coupled with immunoblotting. Southern blots revealed the existence of two and three copies of EF-Tu gene in maize and wheat, respectively. Preliminary results of two-dimensional immunoblot analysis showed at least two EF-Tu isoforms in maize and three isoforms in wheat. Further studies are in progress to determine the number of EF-Tu isoforms in maize and wheat. Log in to add this item to your schedule
1 - Kansas State University, Agronomy, 2004 Throckmorton Hall, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA 2 - Kansas State University, Agronomy 3 - USDA-ARS, Plant Science and Entomology Research Unit, 4008 Throckmorto, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
Keywords: heat stress Chloroplast EF-Tu.
Presentation Type: Plant Biology Abstract Session: P Location: Exhibit Hall (Northeast, Southwest & Southeast)/Hilton Date: Sunday, July 8th, 2007 Time: 8:00 AM Number: P08028 Abstract ID:2075 |