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Isolation and characterization of a novel antifreeze protein from carrot (Daucus carota)
M Smallwood1, D Worrall, L Byass
1The Plant Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of York, PO Box 373, York YO1 5YW, U.K. mfs1@york.ac.uk
Abstract:
A modified assay for inhibition of ice recrystallization which allows unequivocal identification of activity in plant extracts is described. Using this assay a novel, cold-induced, 36 kDa antifreeze protein has been isolated from the tap root of cold-acclimated carrot (Daucus carota) plants. This protein inhibits the recrystallization of ice and exhibits thermal-hysteresis activity. The polypeptide behaves as monomer in solution and is N-glycosylated. The corresponding gene is unique in the carrot genome and induced by cold. The antifreeze protein appears to be localized within the apoplast.