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. 2008 Apr;14(1-2):155-66.
doi: 10.1007/s12298-008-0014-2. Epub 2008 Jun 15.

Genetic engineering for heat tolerance in plants

Amanjot Singh  1 , Anil Grover
Affiliations

Genetic engineering for heat tolerance in plants

Amanjot Singh et al. Physiol Mol Biol Plants. 2008 Apr.

Abstract

High temperature tolerance has been genetically engineered in plants mainly by over-expressing the heat shock protein genes or indirectly by altering levels of heat shock transcription factor proteins. Apart from heat shock proteins, thermotolerance has also been altered by elevating levels of osmolytes, increasing levels of cell detoxification enzymes and through altering membrane fluidity. It is suggested that Hsps may be directly implicated in thermotolerance as agents that minimize damage to cell proteins. The other three above approaches leading to thermotolerance in transgenic experiments though operate in their own specific ways but indirectly might be aiding in creation of more reductive and energy-rich cellular environment, thereby minimizing the accumulation of damaged proteins. Intervention in protein metabolism such that accumulation of damaged proteins is minimized thus appears to be the main target for genetically-engineering crops against high temperature stress.

Keywords: Heat shock factors; Heat shock proteins; Protein metabolism; Thermotolerance; Transgenic plants.

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