An ice-binding protein from an Arctic grass, Leymus mollis

• Published in: F1000Research
• Main Authors: Sformo, Todd L., Raymond, James A.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: F1000 Research Limited 2020
• Subjects: Brief Report; Arctic
• Online Access: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7383708/; https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.24328.1

Several cold-hardy grasses have been shown to have ice-binding proteins (IBPs) that protect against freeze-thaw injury. Here, we looked for IBP activity in an Alaskan coastal grass that had not previously been examined, Leymus mollis (Pooidae). Rhizome tissue had strong ice-structuring and ice recrystallization inhibiting (IRI) activities, indicating the probable presence of IBPs. The gene sequence of an IBP was obtained. The sequence encoded a 118-amino acid IRI domain that contained eight repeats. A 3D structure of the IRI domain was predicted from the structure of the IRI domain of the perennial ryegrass Lolium perenne. The predicted structure appeared to have the same eight beta-roll coils found in the L. perenne IBP.