Functional analysis of thioredoxin from the desert lichen-forming fungus, Endocarpon pusillum Hedwig, reveals its role in stress tolerance.

ABSTRACT: Endocarpon pusillum is a lichen-forming fungus with an outstanding stress resistance property closely related to its antioxidant system. In this study, thioredoxin (Trx), one of the main components of antioxidant defense systems in E. pusillum (EpTrx), was characterized and analyzed both in transgenic yeasts and in vitro. Our analyses identified that the heterologous expression of EpTrx in the yeast Pichia pastoris significantly enhanced its resistance to osmotic and oxidative stresses. Assays in vitro showed EpTrx acted as a disulfide reductase as well as a molecular chaperone by assembling into various polymeric structures. Upon exposure to heat-shock stress, EpTrx exhibited weaker disulfide reductase activity but stronger chaperone activity, which coincided with the switching of the pro

SUBMITTER: Li H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4890037 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature