The effects of a heat shock (HS) on the protein synthesis in the embryo tissues of dormant recalcitrant horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.) seeds in the course of their stratification were studied. It was established that in all embryo parts, especially in axes, the HS markedly activated protein synthesis in the beginning of stratification, and the HS suppressed protein synthesis at radicle emersion. 10 proteins were singled out which behaved as obvious heat shock proteins (HSP); they were predominantly thermolabile cytosolic proteins. Simultaneously with HSP the bulk of normal cell proteins continued to be synthesized under the conditions of the HS. It is suggested that such response to the HS is characteristic just of embryo tissues; it could be considered an additional molecular mechanism improving embryo tolerance to unfavorable environmental conditions.

Aesculus hippocastanum, recalcitrant seeds, seed dormancy, heat shock proteins, stratification.

1. Azarkovich M.I., Gumilevskaya N.A. Analiz belkov semyadolei zrelykh semyan konskogo kashtana Fiziologiya rastenii. – 2006. – T. 53. – pp. 711–720.
2. Gumilevskaya N.A., Azarkovich M.I., Komarova M.E., Obrucheva N.V. Belki osevykh organov pokoyashchikhsya i prorastayushchikh semyan konskogo kashtana: I. Obshchaya kharakteristika belkov Fiziologiya rastenii. – 2001. –T. 48. – pp. 5–17.
3. Gumilevskaya N.A., Azarkovich M.I., Lityagina S.V., Obrucheva N.V. Belki osevykh organov pokoyashchikhsya i prorastayushchikh semyan konskogo kashtana. II. Beloksinteziruyushchaya sposobnost' zarodyshevykh osei Fiziologiya rastenii. – 2003. – T. 50. – pp. 517–527.
4. Gumilevskaya N.A., CHumikina L.V., Arabova L.I., Zimin M.V., SHatilov V.R. Vliyanie vysokoi temperatury na sintez belka v osyakh nabukhayushchikh zarodyshei gorokha Fiziologiya rastenii. – 1996. – T. 43 – pp. 247–255.
5. Kulaeva O.N. Belki teplovogo shoka i ustoichivost' rastenii k stressam Sorosovskii obrazovatel'nyi zhurnal. – 1997. – T. 1. – No. 2.– pp. 5–13.
6. Los' D.A. Sensornye sistemy tsianobakterii – M.: Nauchnyi Mir, 2010. – 218 s.
7. Kimpel J.A., Key J.L. Heat shock in plants Trends in Biochem. Science – 1985. – V. 10 – N. 9. – P. 353–357.
8. Vierling E. The roles of heat shock proteins in plants Ann. Rev. Plant Physiology and Plant Mol. Biol. – 1991. – V. 42. – P. 579–620.
9. Wang W., Vinocur B., Shoseyov O., Altman A. Role of plant heatshock proteins and molecular shaperones in the abiotic stress response Trends in Plant Science. –2004. – V. 9. – No. 5. – R. 244–252.
10. Wehmeyer N., Vierling E. The expression of small heat shock proteins in seeds responses to discrete development signal and suggests a general protective role in desiccation tolerance Plant Physiol. – 2000. – V. 122. – No. 7. – R. 1099–1108.