title: Arabidopsis thaliana J-class heat shock proteins: cellular stress sensors.
abstract: Plants are sessile organisms that have evolved a variety of mechanisms to maintain their cellular homeostasis under stressful environmental conditions. Survival of plants under abiotic stress conditions requires specialized group of heat shock protein machinery, belonging to Hsp70:J-protein family. These heat shock proteins are most ubiquitous types of chaperone machineries involved in diverse cellular processes including protein folding, translocation across cell membranes, and protein degradation. They play a crucial role in maintaining the protein homeostasis by reestablishing functional native conformations under environmental stress conditions, thus providing protection to the cell. J-proteins are co-chaperones of Hsp70 machine, which play a critical role by stimulating Hsp70s ATPase activity, thereby stabilizing its interaction with client proteins. Using genome-wide analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana, here we have outlined identification and systematic classification of J-protein co-chaperones which are key regulators of Hsp70s function. In comparison with Saccharomyces cerevisiae model system, a comprehensive domain structural organization, cellular localization, and functional diversity of A. thaliana J-proteins have also been summarized.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Department, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: Vinoth Babu V
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Rajan
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: D'Silva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018745:Genome, Plant; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D016335:Zinc Fingers
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins