title: Insights into Maize LEA proteins: from proteomics to functional approaches.
abstract: LEA (late embryogenesis abundant) proteins participate in plant stress tolerance responses, but the mechanisms by which protection occurs are not fully understood. In the present work the unfolded proteins from maize dry embryos were analyzed by mass spectrometry. Twenty embryo proteins were identified, and among them 13 corresponded to LEA-type proteins. We selected three major LEA proteins, Emb564, Rab17 and Mlg3, belonging to groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively, and we undertook a comparative study in order to highlight differences among them. The post-translational modifications of native proteins were analyzed and the anti-aggregation properties of recombinant Emb564, Rab17 and Mgl3 proteins were evaluated in vitro. In addition, the protective effects of the LEA proteins were assessed in living cells under stress in Escherichia coli cells and in Nicotiana bentamiana leaves agroinfiltrated with fluorescent LEA-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusions. Protein visualization by confocal microscopy indicated that cells expressing Mg3-GFP showed reduced cell shrinkage effects during dehydration and that Rab17-GFP co-localized to leaf oil bodies after heat shock. Overall, the results highlight differences and suggest functional diversity among maize LEA groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, Center for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB), Campus Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola Del Vallès), 08193 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Imen
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Amara
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Odena
authors.forename: Eliandre
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Masmoudi
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pagès
authors.forename: Adela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goday
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003890:Desiccation; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000166:cytology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D020543:Proteome / Q000032:analysis*; D040901:Proteomics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012639:Seeds / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003313:Zea mays / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D020543:Proteome; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C066246:late embryogenesis abundant protein, plant; C071710:DHN1 protein, Zea mays; C070150:Emb564 protein, Zea mays