HSP 12 is a LEA-like protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract

LEA group I, II and III antibodies all recognised soluble proteins present in an extract of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). The smaller protein of the two recognised by the group I antibody displayed identical migration on SDS-PAGE to the pea seed LEA group I protein against which the antibody was raised. However, the antibody failed to recognise the predominant protein present after heating the extract at 80 degrees C for 10 min. This predominant protein, which also displayed identical migration on SDS-PAGE, was purified from the supernatant of the extract heated at 80 degrees C for 10 min. Peptide sequencing after CNBr cleavage identified the isolated protein as the heat shock protein HSP 12. Despite a previous report that HSP 12 is a heat shock protein, HSP 12 was found to increase in yeast grown at 37 degrees C compared with growth at 30 degrees C. However, increased amounts of HSP 12 were present in yeast after entry into stationary phase; this was enhanced by growth in the osmolytes NaCl and mannitol.