Abstract
Group 3 late embryogenesis abundant (G3LEA) proteins have a protective function against desiccation
stress. In our previous work, the model peptide, PvLEA-22, was developed based on one tandem repeat
of the conserved 11-mer motif in G3LEA proteins. PvLEA-22 peptide showed an anti-aggregation activity
for dried liposomes and other proteins in vitro, leading to the hypothesis that PvLEA-22 peptide could
suppress aggregation of proteins and membrane structures in vivo and raise the survival rate after
rehydration. To address whether PvLEA-22 peptide could mimic the function of G3LEA in vivo, we used
the Pv11 cell line established from an anhydrobiotic chironomid, Polypedilum vanderplanki, investigated
the beneficial effect of either extracellular or intracellular occurrence of PvLEA-22 peptide on the survival
rate of the dried Pv11 cells after rehydration. Consequently, both experiments did not show any beneficial
effect of PvLEA-22 peptide on the survival rate. Interestingly, the treatment of high concentration PvLEA-
22 peptide caused the cell death. It should be due to strong binding activity of the peptide to cell membrane,
resulting in loss of membrane flexibility. Our results demonstrated that PvLEA-22 peptide did not have
the same function as G3LEA proteins in Pv11 cells and treatment of high-concentration PvLEA-22 peptide
spoiled desiccation tolerance instead.
