Insights from the molecular docking analysis of phytohormone reveal brassinolide interaction with HSC70 from Pennisetum glaucum

The prevailing abiotic stresses, especially heat stress is of great significance on the growth of plants, yield and distribution. In the conditions of heat stress, plants modulate protein processes leading to development of heat tolerance. Of such proteins, the molecular chaperone functions of HSP70/HSC70 proteins are important where their enhanced expression positively correlates with the acquisition of heat tolerance. The key players in the regulation of such tailored protein responses of plants to heat stress are the phytohormones. In the present study, phytohormone mediated interaction of Pennisetum glaucum HSC70 (PgHSC70) protein was performed through docking studies involving sequence analysis, 3D modeling and model evaluation. In silico analysis has shown better interaction and good binding energy of PgHSC70 with the phytohormone brassinolide. Furthermore, the predicted structural information can be helpful for future studies on role of interaction between HSC70 and brassinolide in heat tolerance.