CHARACTERIZING OsHSBP2 GENE SEQUENCE AND ITS EXPRESSION IN RESPONSE TO DROUGHT AND HEAT STRESS IN THE BC15 RICE VARIETY (Oryza sativa L.)

Abstract

Rice production is significantly affected by challenging environmental factors, particularly drought and heat. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are essential for enhancing stress tolerance related to temperature and oxidative stress, protecting cells and macromolecules from harmful effects. In certain plant species, the regulation of HSP activity is linked to Heat Shock Factor Binding Protein (HSBP). This study investigates the functional roles and regulatory mechanisms of OsHSBP2 in rice, focusing on its expression patterns under drought and heat stress in the prominent BC15 rice variety. The coding sequences of OsHSBP2 was isolated and fully sequenced to identify a 300-base pair segment that encodes a polypeptide of 99 amino acids, featuring an α helix and demonstrating 73.68% to 100% similarity to previously studied homologous HSBP proteins. These results lay the groundwork for further exploration of OsHSBP2's functional role, aiming to enhance drought and heat stress tolerance in major rice varieties like BC15 through genetic engineering.