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Chromatin structure of heat‐shock‐inducible genes and abscisic acid‐inducible genes in wheat
Author(s) -
Loer Deborah S.,
Spiker Steven
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
physiologia plantarum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.351
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1399-3054
pISSN - 0031-9317
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3054.1992.tb01314.x
Subject(s) - abscisic acid , gene , chromatin , biology , heat shock protein , gene expression , heat shock factor , transcription (linguistics) , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , hsp70 , linguistics , philosophy
We have asked if the induction of gene expression by heat shock or by the phytohormone abscisic acid is accompanied by a change in chromatin structure as assayed by general DNase I sensitivity of the coding region of the responsive genes in wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. cv. Stephens). Using nuclei isolated from wheat seedlings, we show by Southern blot hybridization that members of the WHSP 17 gene family (encoding a low‐molecular‐weight heat‐shock protein) become more sensitive to DNase I upon heat shock. This result indicates that the induction of heat‐shock genes is accompanied by a change in chromatin conformation in plants, as has been previously demonstrated in animal systems. Abscisic acid has previously been shown to induce the transcription of a 7S globulin gene and inhibit the expression of ribulose 1,5‐bisphate carboxylase/oxygenase small subunit genes in wheat seedlings. We found both of these genes to be sensitive to DNase I before abscisic acid treatment, and we found no change upon treatment.