Waki’atil Rosida

Biology Department Faculty of Mathematic and Natural Sciences, University of Jember, Jember, Indonesia

Qori’atul Mustafidah

Biology Department Faculty of Mathematic and Natural Sciences, University of Jember, Jember, Indonesia

Dwi Indahning Rohmah

Biology Department Faculty of Mathematic and Natural Sciences, University of Jember, Jember, Indonesia

Edia Fitri Dwinianti

Biology Department Faculty of Mathematic and Natural Sciences, University of Jember, Jember, Indonesia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.19184/jid.v27i1.60002

ABSTRACT 

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) plants are sensitive to drought, so drought stress can reduce cocoa bean production. Heat stress can trigger gene expression as plant defense. Heat Shock Factors (HSF) play key role in responding to plant stress. HSF will regulate other proteins such as HSP which function as molecular chaperons in preventing protein folding and aggregation errors during heat stress. Protein interactions play an important role in many physiological processes and plant development including the plant's response to stress and defenses. This study aims to analyze the interaction of Heat Shock Factors (HSFs) and Heat Shock Protein 90 (HSP90) in T. cacao plants as the basis for the selection of drought-resistant plant genes. The method was carried out in silico by collecting HSF and HSP90 of T. cacao sequences in a phytozome database. The HSF protein of T. cacao forms an interaction with the HSP90 family group. HSP90 protein interactions were analyzed to determine the plant's defenses under stressful conditions. The results showed that the HSP90 protein forms interactions with several other proteins which play a role in the plant's immune response, protein stabilization, and chaperon regulation to regulate the abiotic and biotic stress responses experienced by plants.

Keywords: Cocoa, Heat Shock Factors (HSF), Heat Shock Protein (HSP), Plant Stress, Protein Interaction