Effect of Heat Shock on Cytoplasmic Protein Synthesis in Pea (Pisum sativum L.) Leaves

A. P. Veselov,^1,2 L. N. Kurganova,^1,2 and O. V. Ruchkova¹

¹Lobachevskii Nizhnii Novgorod State University, pr. Gagarina 23, Nizhnii Novgorod, 603022 Russia; fax: (8312) 65-85-92; E-mail: biochem@bf.unn.ac.ru

²To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Submitted July 30, 1996; revision submitted February 5, 1997.

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The effect of heat shock on cytoplasmic protein synthesis was studied in pea leaves. Heat shock treatment decreased the polysomic fraction and increased the monosomic fraction of the total ribosomal pool in pea seedlings. This is characteristic of leaves of various physiological states including growing, non-growing, and aging. However, the heat shock response of young leaves was more pronounced. The spectrum of polysomal proteins was analyzed by electrophoresis. In preparations isolated from plants subjected to heat shock, a 70 kD protein was not detected. The possible nature and function of this protein are discussed.

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KEY WORDS: heat shock, polysome, monosome, protein, pea (Pisum sativum L.).

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