Abstract
LEA proteins are late embryogenesis abundant in the seeds of many higher plants and are probably universal in occurrence in plant seeds. LEA mRNAs and proteins can be induced to appear at other stages in the plant's life by desiccation stress and/or treatment with the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA). A role in protecting plant structures during water loss is likely for these proteins, with ABA functioning in the stress transduction process. Presented here are conserved tracts of amino acid sequence among LEA proteins from several species that may represent domains functionally important in desiccation protection. Curiously, an 11 amino acid sequence motif is found tandemly repeated in a group of LEA proteins of vastly different sizes. Analysis of this motif suggests that it exists as an amphiphilic α helix which may serve as the basis for higher order structure.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baker JC, Steele C, DureIII L: Sequence and characteization of 6 Lea proteins and their genes from cotton. Plant Mol Biol 11: 277–291 (1988).
Berge SK, Bartholomew RS, Quatrano RS: Control of maturation genes in wheat by ABA. In: Goldberg R (ed) Molecular Basis of Plant Development UCLA Symposia. J Cellular Biochemistry, New Series, Alan R. Liss, New York (in press) (1989).
Choi JH, Liu L, Borkird C, Sung ZR: Cloning of genes developmentally regulated during plant embryogenesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 84: 1906–1910 (1987).
Dunnill P: The use of helical net-diagrams to represent protein structures. Biophys J 8: 865–875 (1968).
DureIII L, Greenway SC, Galau GA: Developmental biochemistry of cottonseed embryogenesis and germination. XIV Changing mRNA populations as shown by in vitro and in vivo protein synthesis. Biochemistry 20: 4162–4168 (1981).
Galau GA, Hughes DW, DureIII L: Abscisic acid induction of cloned cotton late embryogenesis abundant (Lea) mRNAs. Plant Mol Biol 7: 155–170 (1986).
Harada J, DeLisle A, Baden C, Crouch M: Unusual sequence of an abscisic acid-inducible mRNA which accumulates late inBrassica napus development. Plant Mol Biol 12: 395–401 (1989).
Hong B, Uknes SJ, Ho T-H D: Cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding a mRNA rapidly induced by ABA in barley aleurone layers. Plant Mol Biol 11: 495–506 (1988).
Kyte J, Doolittle RF: A simple method for displaying the hydropathic character of a protein. J Mol Biol 157: 105–132 (1982).
Litts JC, Colwell GW, Chakerian RL, Quatrano RS: The nucleotide sequence of a cDNA clone encoding the wheat Em protein. Nucl Acids Res 15: 3607–3618 (1987).
Marqusee S, Baldwin RL: Helix stabilization by Glu - ...Lys + salt bridges in short peptides of de novo design. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 84: 8898–8902 (1987).
Mundy J, Chua N-H: Abscisic acid and water stress induce the expression of a novel rice gene. EMBO J 7: 2279–2286 (1988).
Roseman MA: Hydrophilicity of polar amino acid sidechains is markedly reduced by flanking peptide bonds. Mol Biol 200: 513–522 (1988).
Schiffer M, Edmundson AB: Use of helical wheels to represent the structure of proteins and to identify segments with helical potential. Biophys J 7: 121–135 (1967).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dure, L., Crouch, M., Harada, J. et al. Common amino acid sequence domains among the LEA proteins of higher plants. Plant Mol Biol 12, 475–486 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00036962
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00036962