Isolation and Characterisation of a cDNA for a Novel Small HSP from Sunflower Suspension Cell Cultures

A full-length cDNA encoding a novel small heat shock protein (HaHSP17.9) was isolated from a cDNA library of sunflower (Helianthus annuus cv. Gloriasol). The deduced amino acid sequence exhibited high degree homology to the class I cytosolic sHSPs from other plant species, and contained all the conserved regions characteristic of this class of proteins. Northern analyses showed that the transcript homologous to HaHSP17.9 accumulates during heat shock in suspension cultured cells and in the different parts of sunflower seedlings.