The independent stage-specific expression of the 18-kDa heat shock protein genes during microsporogenesis in Zea mays L.

The small (18-kDa) heat shock proteins (hsps) of maize are encoded by a complex multigene family. In a previous report, we described the genetic information from cDNAs encoding two different members of the family. In this communication, we report the isolation and characterization of cDNA and genomic clones encoding information for a third member of this hsp family (c/gMHSP18-1). DNA fragments containing nucleotide sequences common to, or specific for, each of these characterized 18-kDa genes were prepared and used as probes to assess the expression of these genes during microsporogenesis and development of the gametophyte in an inbred line of maize (Oh43). Our results demonstrate (1) that mRNA transcripts encoding the 18-kDa hsps are expressed and/or accumulate during microsporogenesis, and (2) that genes encoding two of the characterized 18-kDa hsps are expressed and/or accumulate independently, in a stage-specific manner during microsporogenesis. These observations imply that the stage-specific expression of particular 18-kDa hsp genes results from gene-specific regulation during microsporogenesis and gametophyte development rather than from an overall activation of the heat shock or stress response.