Expression of heat shock protein (HSP) genes and antioxidant enzyme genes in hybrid rice II YOU 838 during heat stress

II YOU 838 (Oryza sativa subsp. indica), crossed by the maternal II-32A and paternal Fu Hui 838, was one of the most widely cultivated hybrid rice in China. Fu Hui 838, which has resistance to high temperature, was generated by mutation technology in 1990. Previous field-testing showed that II YOU 838 had tolerance to high temperature stress and this was confirmed in the present study. The mechanism of heat tolerance of II YOU 838 is not understood. The present study reports gene expression of a representative sample of heat-responsive proteins in II YOU 838 flag leaves subjected to heat stress during flowering. Differential expression of the heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), small heat shock protein (smHSP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) were studied under heat stress and optimum temperatures in flag leaves of II YOU 838. All six genes studied were responsive to high temperatures. Quantitative real-time PCR showed increased expression of the heat shock protein genes and antioxidant enzyme genes in flag leaves under heat stress. With increasing number of days gene expression decreased under high temperature. Peak expression of SOD, POD, hsp70 and hsp90 was on Day 2 under 39 ℃. On Day 3, the expression of CAT under 39 ℃ was the highest. The expression of smhsp was highest on Day 3 under 27 ℃, followed by that on Day 2 under 27 ℃. The maximum expression values were observed on Day 2 or Day 3 after beginning of heat stress. This suggests that hsp90, hsp70, SOD and POD are principally involved in early responses to heat in rice flag leaves, and that smhsp may play a role in the recovery mechanism in rice after heat stress. This may provide insights into the mechanism of heat-tolerance in rice