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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Hard Winter Wheat Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #324381
Title: Heat-induced accumulation of protein synthesis elongation factor 1A indicates an important role in heat tolerance in potato

Author
item MOMCILOVIC, IVANA - University Of Belgrade
item PANTELIC, DANIJEL - University Of Belgrade
item ZDRAVKOVIC-KORAC, SNEZANA - University Of Belgrade
item OLJACA, JASMINA - University Of Belgrade
item RUDIC, JELENA - University Of Belgrade
item Fu, Jianming

Submitted to: Functional Plant Biology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2016
Publication Date: 9/1/2016
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/5483173
Citation: Momcilovic, I., Pantelic, D., Zdravkovic-Korac, S., Oljaca, J., Rudic, J., Fu, J. 2016. Heat-induced accumulation of protein synthesis elongation factor 1A indicates an important role in heat tolerance in potato. Functional Plant Biology. 244:671. https://doir.org/10.1007/s00425-016-2534-2.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-016-2534-2

Interpretive Summary: Our previous studies showed that eukaryotic elongation factor 1A (eEF1A) is a heat-inducible protein and may contribute to heat tolerance in wheat, a highly heat-vulnerable monocot crop. In this study, effects of heat stress on eEF1A protein production was investigated in potato, a highly heat-vulnerable dicot crop. The results from both controlled environment studies and the field showed that potato eEF1A is heat-inducible, and there are significant differences among cultivars in the abundance of this protein in the heat stress condition. Significant correlation between eEF1A abundance and potato productivity in the field was observed in two consecutive extremely hot years. These results indicate that eEF1A may also play an important role in heat tolerance in this dicot crop.

Technical Abstract: Heat stress substantially reduces crop productivity worldwide, and will become more severe due to global warming. Identification of proteins involved in heat stress response may help develop varieties for heat tolerance. Eukaryotic elongation factor 1A (eEF1A) is a cytosolic, multifunctional protein that plays a central role in the elongation phase of translation. Some of the non-canonical eEF1A activities might be important in developing plant heat-stress tolerance. In this study, we investigated effects of heat stress (HS) on eEF1A expression at the protein level in potato, a highly heat vulnerable crop. Our results from both the controlled environment and the field have shown that potato eEF1A is a heat-inducible protein of 49.2-kDa with multiple isoforms (5-8). Increase in eEF1A abundance under HS can be mainly attributed to 2-3 basic polypeptides/isoforms. Significant correlation between eEF1A abundance and the potato productivity in the field was observed in two extremely hot years 2011 and 2012. Southern and genomic analyses have showed that eEF1A consists of a multigene family. Identification, isolation and utilization of heat-inducible eEF1A genes might be helpful for the development of heat-tolerant varieties.