title: A pea nuclear protein that is induced by dehydration belongs to the vicilin superfamily.
abstract: The purification to homogeneity of p16, a protein with an electrophoretic mobility compatible with an apparent molecular mass of 16 kDa, from nuclei of ungerminated pea embryonic axes is described. A cDNA clone of its gene, which was designated psp54, was also isolated. The psp54 cDNA contains an open reading frame coding for a 54.4-kDa polypeptide (p54). p16 corresponds to the C-terminal third of p54, although the mechanisms by which the primary polypeptide could be processed are not yet known. The sequence of p54 is 60% identical with that of the precursor of a sucrose-binding soybean protein, and, to a lesser extent (31-34%), it shares homology with some storage proteins. p16 is also 30% homologous with Nhp2p, a yeast nuclear protein. The psp54 gene, present in a single copy in pea genome, starts being expressed during seed desiccation. Soon after rehydration in seed germination, p54 mRNA disappears and is no longer detectable in vegetative tissues, except in response to hydric stress (exposure to abscisic acid, osmolites or desiccation). p16 can be recovered from nuclei cross-linked to histone H3, when the disulfide bridges that occur in vivo are preserved. On the other hand, p16 shares some properties with dehydrins, which are thought to protect cellular structures against desiccation. We propose that the possible precursor polypeptide p54 belongs to the vicilin superfamily, members of which play a variety of roles. The function of p16 may be related to the protection of chromatin structure against desiccation during seed development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Castillo
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Rodrigo
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Márquez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zúñiga
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Franco
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry; D003890:Desiccation; D004220:Disulfides / Q000737:chemistry; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000737:chemistry; D018532:Pisum sativum / Q000737:chemistry*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D055314:Seed Storage Proteins; D017385:Sequence Homology
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D004220:Disulfides; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D009707:Nucleosomes; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D055314:Seed Storage Proteins; C015575:vicilin protein, plant