A protein that brings life back after drought
In this study, a LEA protein from the “resurrection plant” Ramonda serbica, known for its remarkable drought tolerance, was produced and purified for the first time. Analyses showed that this protein, named RsLEAP30, is completely disordered in water but adopts a well-defined alpha-helical structure under drought-like conditions. This structural shift may explain how the protein protects plant cells during drying. RsLEAP30 is believed to help preserve essential parts of the chloroplast, allowing the plant to “wake up” quickly once water becomes available. The discovery opens the door to new strategies for developing drought-resistant crops.
This work was carried out in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Belgrade – Faculty of Chemistry and the National Institute of Chemistry from Slovenia. The research was conducted within the LEAPSyn-SCI project, funded under the PROMIS program by the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia. The part of research conducted by Ana Pantelić in Slovenia was supported by the COST Action CA21160.
Structural characterisation of recombinant LEA protein originated from Ramonda serbica