Calmodulin is involved in heat shock signal transduction in wheat

The involvement of calcium and calcium-activated calmodulin (Ca2+-CaM) in heat shock (HS) signal transduction in wheat (Triticum aestivum) was investigated. Using Fluo-3/acetoxymethyl esters and laser scanning confocal microscopy, it was found that the increase of intracellular free calcium ion concentration started within 1 min after a 37degreesC HS. The levels of CaM mRNA and protein increased during HS at 37degreesC in the presence of Ca2+. The expression of hsp26 and hsp70 genes was up-regulated by the addition of CaCl2 and down-regulated by the calcium ion chelator EGTA, the calcium ion channel blockers LaCl3 and verapamil, or the CaM antagonists N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide and chlorpromazine. Treatment with Ca2+ also increased, and with EGTA, verapamil, chlorpromazine, or trifluoperazine decreased, synthesis of HS proteins. The temporal expression of the CaM1-2 gene and the hsp26 and hsp70 genes demonstrated that up-regulation of the CaM1-2 gene occurred at 10 min after HS at 37degreesC, whereas that of hsp26 and hsp70 appeared at 20 min after HS. A 5-min HS induced expression of hsp26 after a period of recovery at 22degreesC after HS at 37degreesC. Taken together, these results indicate that Ca2+-CaM is directly involved in the HS signal transduction pathway. A working hypothesis about the relationship between upstream and downstream of HS signal transduction is presented.