The threshold induction temperature of the 90-kDa heat shock protein is subject to acclimatization in eurythermal goby fishes (genus Gillichthys)

Transcriptional responses to thermal acclimation in the eurythermal fish Gillichthys mirabilis (Cooper 1864)

Thermal acclimation (acclimatization) capacity may be critical for determining how successfully an ectotherm can respond to temperature change, and adaptive shifts in gene expression may be pivotal for mediating these acclimatory responses. Using a cDNA microarray, we examined transcriptional profiles in gill tissue of a highly eurythermal goby fish, Gillichthys mirabilis , following 4 wk of acclimation to 9°C, 19°C, or 28°C. Overall, gill transcriptomes were not strikingly different among acclimation groups. Of the 1,607 unique annotated genes on the array, only 150 of these genes (9%) were significantly different in expression among the three acclimation groups (ANOVA, false discovery rate < 0.05). Principal component analysis revealed that 59% of the variation in expression among these genes was described by an expression profile that is upregulated with increasing acclimation temperature. Gene ontology analysis of these genes identified protein biosynthesis, transport, and several metabolic categories as processes showing the greatest change in expression. Our results suggest that energetic costs of macromolecular turnover and membrane-localized transport rise with acclimation temperature. The upregulation of several classes of stress-related proteins, e.g., heat shock proteins, seen in the species' response to acute thermal stress was not observed in the long-term 28°C-acclimated fish. The transcriptional differences found among the acclimation groups thus may reflect an acclimation process that has largely remedied the effects of acute thermal stress and established a new steady-state condition involving changes in relative energy costs for different processes. This pattern of transcriptional alteration in steady-state acclimated fish may be a signature of eurythermy.

Heat shock proteins and resistance to desiccation in congeneric land snails

Land snails are subject to daily and seasonal variations in temperature and in water availability and depend on a range of behavioral and physiological adaptations for coping with problems of maintaining water, ionic, and thermal balance. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a multigene family of proteins whose expression is induced by a variety of stress agents. We used experimental desiccation to test whether adaptation to different habitats affects HSP expression in two closely related Sphincterochila snail species, a desiccation-resistant, desert species Sphincterochila zonata, and a Mediterranean-type, desiccation-sensitive species Sphincterochila cariosa. We examined the HSP response in the foot, hepatopancreas, and kidney tissues of snails exposed to normothermic desiccation. Our findings show variations in the HSP response in both timing and magnitude between the two species. The levels of endogenous Hsp72 in S. cariosa were higher in all the examined tissues, and the induction of Hsp72, Hsp74, and Hsp90 developed earlier than in S. zonata. In contrary, the induction of sHSPs (Hsp25 and Hsp30) was more pronounced in S. zonata compared to S. cariosa. Our results suggest that land snails use HSPs as part of their survival strategy during desiccation and as important components of the aestivation mechanism in the transition from activity to dormancy. Our study underscores the distinct strategy of HSP expression in response to desiccation, namely the delayed induction of Hsp70 and Hsp90 together with enhanced induction of sHSPs in the desert-dwelling species, and suggests that evolution in harsh environments will result in selection for reduced Hsp70 expression.

Heating rate and symbiont productivity are key factors determining thermal stress in the reef-building coral Acropora formosa

The onset of large-scale coral bleaching events is routinely estimated on the basis of the duration and intensity of thermal anomalies determined as degree heating weeks. Degree heating weeks, however, do not account for differential rates of heating. This study aimed to explore the relationship between different rates of heating above the documented regional winter threshold, and resultant bleaching of the reef-building coral Acropora formosa. Under a relatively low light field, rapid heating of 1°C day−1 from 29°C to 32°C lead to a 17.6% decline in Fv/Fm, concurrent with a rapid increase in xanthophyll de-epoxidation sustained into the dark, whereas slower heating rates of 0.5°C day−1 lead to no decline in Fv/Fm and no change in dark-adapted xanthophyll cycling. At the winter bleaching threshold of 30°C, areal net O2 evolution exceeded the control values for rapidly heated corals, but was lower than the controls for slowly heated corals. At the maximum temperature of 33°C, however, both treatments had net O2 fluxes that were 50% of control values. At 30°C, only symbiont densities in the slowly heated controls were reduced relative to controls values. By 33°C, however, symbiont densities were 55% less than the controls in both treatments. The rate of heat accumulation was found to be an important variable, with rapidly heated corals attaining the same bleaching status and loss of areal O2 production for half the degree heating week exposure as slowly heated corals. The study revealed that it is incorrect to assume that significant dark acclimation disables non-photochemical quenching, because 75% of an increased xanthophyll pool was found to be in the de-epoxidated state following rapid heat accumulation. This has important ramifications for the interpretation of chlorophyll fluorescence data such as dark adapted Fv/Fm.

Genetic modification of the Salmonella membrane physical state alters the pattern of heat shock response

It is now recognized that membranes are not simple physical barriers but represent a complex and dynamic environment that affects membrane protein structures and their functions. Recent data emphasize the role of membranes in sensing temperature changes, and it has been shown that the physical state of the plasma membrane influences the expression of a variety of genes such as heat shock genes. It has been widely shown that minor alterations in lipid membranes are critically involved in the conversion of signals from the environment to the transcriptional activation of heat shock genes. Previously, we have proposed that the composition, molecular arrangement, and physical state of lipid membranes and their organization have crucial roles in cellular responses during stress caused by physical and chemical factors as well as in pathological states. Here, we show that transformation of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium LT2 (Salmonella Typhimurium) with a heterologous Delta(12)-desaturase (or with its trans-membrane regions) causes major changes in the pathogen's membrane dynamic. In addition, this pathogen is strongly impaired in the synthesis of major stress proteins (heat shock proteins) under heat shock. These data support the hypothesis that the perception of temperature in Salmonella is strictly controlled by membrane order and by a specific membrane lipid/protein ratio that ultimately causes transcriptional activation of heat shock genes. These results represent a previously unrecognized mode of sensing temperature variation used by this pathogen at the onset of infection.

Interaction between Short-Term Heat Pretreatment and Fipronil on 2 Instar Larvae of Diamondback Moth, Plutella Xylostella (Linn)

Based on the cooperative virulence index (c.f.) and LC(50) of fipronil, the interaction effect between short-term heat pretreatment and fipronil on 2(nd) instar larvae of diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus), was assessed. The results suggested that pretreatment of the tested insects at 30 °C for 2, 4 and 8h could somewhat decrease the toxicity of fipronil at all set concentrations. The LC(50) values of fipronil increased after heat pretreatment and c.f. values in all these treatments were below zero. These results indicated that real mortalities were less than theoretical ones and antagonism was found in the treatments of fipronil at 0.39 and 0.78 mg/L after heat pretreatment at 30 °C at 2, 4 and 8 h. However, pretreatment at 30 °C for 12h could increase the toxicity of fipronil at all set concentrations, the LC(50) of fipronil decreased after heat pretreatment and c.f. values in all these treatments were above zero, which indicated real mortalities were higher than theoretical ones. Pretreatment of the tested insects at 35 °C for 2, 4, 8 and 12h was found to increase the toxicity of fipronil at all set concentrations which resulted in the decrease of LC(50) values of fipronil and c.f. above zero in all treatments with only one exception. Most interactions were assessed as synergism. The results indicated that cooperative virulence index (c.f.) may be adopted in hormetic effect assessment.

Physiological adaptations of stressed fish to polluted environments: role of heat shock proteins

Fish are subjected to a wide variety of environmental stressors. Stressors affect fish at all life stages and the stress-specific responses that occur at the biochemical and physiological levels affect the overall health and longevity of such animals. In this review, the organ-specific alterations in fish that inhabit polluted environments are addressed in detail. Fish,like other vertebrates, have evolved strategies to counteract stress-mediated effects. Among the key strategies that fish have developed is the induction of HSPs. The primary functions of HSPs are to promote the proper folding or refolding of proteins, to prevent potentially damaging interactions with proteins, and aiding in the disassembly of formations of protein aggregates. Stress, a state of unbalanced tissue oxidation, causes a general disturbance in the cellular antioxidant and redox balance and evokes HSP70 overexpression. Distinct families of HSPs have diverse physiological functions, and their induction, which is regulated at the transcriptional level, is mediated by the activation of heat shock factors. Interestingly, HSPs also interact with a wide variety of signaling molecules that modulate stress-mediated apoptotic effects. Hence, HSP induction is of major importance for maintenance of cell homeostasis. HSP-mediated adaptation processes are regarded as a fundamental protective mechanism that decreases cellular sensitivity to damaging events. Thus, the adaptive expression of HSPs is a protective response that helps combat stress-induced conformational damage to proteins. Additional research is needed to gain further information on the functional significance and role of individual HSPs and to enhance the understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which they act. In addition, field studies are needed to allow comprehensive evaluation of the potential use of HSPs as biomarkers for environmental monitoring. Furthermore, the expression of HSPs in fish fluctuates in response to seasonal variation. Because HSPs serves as a tool for assessing the stressed state of individuals and/or populations, the impact of seasonal influences on constitutive and inducible factors of these proteins should also be elucidated. Such research will lead to a fundamental improvement in the understanding of the functional role of HSPs in response to natural environmental changes and may allow correlation of the action of HSPs at the molecular level with the whole organismal stress response, which, so far, remains unexplained.

A SNP in the HSP90AA1 gene 5' flanking region is associated with the adaptation to differential thermal conditions in the ovine species

Molecular chaperones have long been understood to be preferentially transcribed in response to multiple perturbations of the cellular homeostasis. In this study, several polymorphisms in the gene encoding the inducible form of the cytoplasmic Hsp90 (HSP90AA1) were addressed in 24 sheep breeds reared in different climatic regions of Europe, Africa, and Asia. Significant differences in the genotype frequencies for a C/G single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) located at position -660 in the HSP90AA1 5'flanking region were found between the different breeds. Regression analyses reflected significant correlations (from 0.41 to 0.62) between the alternative genotypes of this polymorphism and several climatic and geographic variables characteristic of the regions where these breeds are reared. Real-time analysis revealed that animals bearing the CC(-660) genotype presented higher expression levels than those presenting the CG(-660) or GG(-660) in summer, but not in spring. Mutation at -660 site seems to affect HSP90AA1 transcription rates which could have important effects on the adaptation to different environmental conditions in sheep. Thus, the variability found in the genotype frequencies for the SNP at -660 in the ovine HSP90AA1 locus could be the result of the different environmental pressures occurring in the regions where these breed are maintained.

Sublethal stress: Impact of solar UV radiation on protein synthesis in the copepod Acartia tonsa

Aquatic organisms respond to environmental challenges such as thermal stress with the rapid induction of highly conserved polypeptides known as stress proteins or heat shock proteins (Hsps). Solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR, 280-400 nm) is an important environmental stressor in marine ecosystems. Here, we present results of experiments conducted with the marine copepod Acartia tonsa to follow the de novo protein synthesis and measure the level of constitutive and inducible isoforms of the Hsp70 gene family of stress proteins after UV exposure. Animals were collected from Tampa Bay, Florida (USA), and exposed to solar radiation (full spectrum), UV-A (320-400 nm) and PAR (400-700 nm), or PAR only, for periods of 0.5-4 h. Controls were kept in the dark. Protein synthesis was robust under all treatments when the copepods were exposed to low solar radiation intensities. Conversely, high solar radiation intensities (both UV-B and UV-A) caused an overall suppression in the protein synthesis of the copepods with no detectable induction of stress-inducible isoforms of Hsps. Immunochemical assays (western blotting) showed that UVR increased levels (3.5-4-fold increase compared to the dark control) of the constitutively expressed 70 kDa heat-shock (Hsc70) protein in A. tonsa, without indication of inducible isoform upregulation.

Molecular identification of differentially regulated genes in the hydrothermal-vent species Bathymodiolus thermophilus and Paralvinella pandorae in response to temperature

BACKGROUND

Hydrothermal vents and cold seeps represent oases of life in the deep-sea environment, but are also characterized by challenging physical and chemical conditions. The effect of temperature fluctuations on vent organisms in their habitat has not been well explored, in particular at a molecular level, most gene expression studies being conducted on coastal marine species. In order to better understand the response of hydrothermal organisms to different temperature regimes, differentially expressed genes (obtained by a subtractive suppression hybridization approach) were identified in the mussel Bathymodiolus thermophilus and the annelid Paralvinella pandorae irlandei to characterize the physiological processes involved when animals are subjected to long term exposure (2 days) at two contrasting temperatures (10 degrees versus 20 degrees C), while maintained at in situ pressures. To avoid a potential effect of pressure, the experimental animals were initially thermally acclimated for 24 hours in a pressurized vessel.

RESULTS

For each species, we produced two subtractive cDNA libraries (forward and reverse) from sets of deep-sea mussels and annelids exposed together to a thermal challenge under pressure. RNA extracted from the gills, adductor muscle, mantle and foot tissue were used for B. thermophilus. For the annelid model, whole animals (small individuals) were used. For each of the four libraries, we sequenced 200 clones, resulting in 78 and 83 unique sequences in mussels and annelids (about 20% of the sequencing effort), respectively, with only half of them corresponding to known genes. Real-time PCR was used to validate differentially expressed genes identified in the corresponding libraries. Strong expression variations have been observed for some specific genes such as the intracellular hemoglobin, the nidogen protein, and Rab7 in P. pandorae, and the SPARC protein, cyclophilin, foot protein and adhesive plaque protein in B. thermophilus.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that mussels and worms are not responding in the same way to temperature variations. While the results obtained for the mussel B. thermophilus seem to indicate a metabolic depression (strong decrease in the level of mRNA expression of numerous genes) when temperature increased, the annelid P. pandorae mainly displayed a strong regulation of the mRNA encoding subunits and linkers of respiratory pigments and some proteins involved in membrane structure. In both cases, these regulations seem to be partly due to a possible cellular oxidative stress induced by the simulated thermal environment (10 degrees C to 20 degrees C). This work will serve as a starting point for studying the transcriptomic response of hydrothermal mussels and annelids in future experiments in response to thermal stress at various conditions of duration and temperature challenge.

Impact of season on liver mitochondrial oxidative stress and the expression of HSP70 in grey mullets from contaminated estuary

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are the ubiquitous feature of cells in which these proteins cope with stress induced denaturation of other proteins. HSP70 is found to play a primary role in cellular defense under stress condition. In the present investigation, the seasonal impact on environmental stress induced mitochondrial HSP70 (mtHSP70) expression in the liver mitochondria was examined in grey mullets, Mugil cephalus living in the Ennore estuary (polluted site) was compared with the Kovalam estuary (unpolluted site) over the course of two seasons viz monsoon and summer from April 2006 to March 2008. Oxidative stress was determined along with mtHSP70 expression studies in fish liver mitochondria collected from these two estuaries for both the seasons. The liver mitochondria of grey mullet fish collected from polluted Ennore estuary showed increased levels of lipid peroxide and mtHSP70 expression along with decrease in total antioxidant capacity and glutathione redox ratio levels ((c) P < 0.05) when compared to unpolluted Kovalam estuary fish. In the fish liver mitochondria of Ennore estuary, there was significant seasonal variation ((b) P < 0.05) in both oxidative stress marker levels (34% increase) and mitochondrial HSP70 expression (33% increase) with increased level during summer season but the Kovalam estuary fish did not show any significant seasonal variation. In the Ennore estuary fish that are exposed to chronic environmental stress, the overexpression of liver mtHSP70 particularly during summer season may confer differential effects on the cell survival by protection against oxidative stress induced changes.

Heat shock protein (Hsp70) induced by a mild heat shock slightly moderates plasma osmolarity increases upon salinity transfer in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

We have investigated whether mild heat shock, and resulting Hsp70 expression, can confer cross-protection against the stress associated with transfer from freshwater (FW) to seawater (SW) in juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). In experimental Series I, juvenile trout reared in FW were transferred from 13.5 degrees C to 25.5 degrees C in FW, held for 2 h, returned to 13.5 degrees C for 12 h, and then transferred to 32 ppt SW at 13.5 degrees C. Branchial Hsp70 increased approximately 10-fold in the heat-shocked fish relative to the control by the end of recovery and remained high 2, 8, and 24 h post-salinity transfer. However, no clear differences could be detected in blood parameters (blood hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCHC, plasma Na(+) and plasma osmolarity) or muscle water content between heat-shocked and sham-shocked fish in SW at any sampling interval (0, 2, 8, 24, 48, 120, 240 and 360 h post-SW transfer). In experimental Series II, trout acclimated to 8 degrees C were heat-shocked at 22 degrees C for 2 h, allowed to recover 18 h, and exposed to a more severe salinity transfer (either 36 or 45 ppt) than in Series I. Branchial Hsp70 levels increased approximately 6-fold in heat-shocked fish, but had declined to baseline after 120 h in SW. Plasma osmolarity and chloride increased in both groups upon transfer to 36 ppt; however, the increase was significantly less in heat-shocked fish when compared to the increase observed in sham-shocked fish at 24 h. No significant differences could be detected in branchial Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity or Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase alpha1a and alpha1b mRNA expression between the two groups. Our data indicate that a mild temperature shock has only modest effects on the ability of rainbow trout to resist osmotic stress during FW to SW transfer.

Exercise-heat acclimation in humans alters baseline levels and ex vivo heat inducibility of HSP72 and HSP90 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells

The induction of cellular acquired thermal tolerance (ATT) during heat acclimation (HA) in humans is not well described. This study determined whether exercise-HA modifies the human heat shock protein (HSP)72 and HSP90 responses and whether changes are correlated with physiological adaptations to HA. Using a 10-day HA protocol comprising daily exercise (treadmill walking) in a hot environment ( Ta = 49°C, 20% RH), we analyzed baseline and ex vivo heat-induced expression of HSP72 and HSP90 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated prior to exercise from eight subjects on day 1 and 10 of the HA protocol. Classical physiological responses to HA were observed, including significantly reduced heart rate and core body temperature, and significantly increased sweating rate. Baseline levels of HSP72 and HSP90 were significantly increased following acclimation by 17.7 ± 6.1% and 21.1 ± 6.5%, respectively. Ex vivo induction of HSP72 in PBMCs exposed to heat shock (43°C) was blunted on day 10 compared with day 1. A correlation was identified ( r2 = 0.89) between changes in core temperature elevation and ex vivo HSP90 responses to heat shock between days 1 and 10, indicating that volunteers demonstrating the greatest physiological HA tended to exhibit the greatest blunting of ex vivo HSP induction in response to heat shock. In summary, 1) exercise-HA resulted in increased baseline levels of HSP72 and HSP90, 2) ex vivo heat inducibility of HSP72 was blunted after HA, and 3) volunteers demonstrating the greatest physiological HA tended to exhibit the greatest blunting of ex vivo HSP induction in response to heat shock. These data demonstrate that physiological adaptations in humans undergoing HA are accompanied by both increases in baseline levels and changes in regulation of cytoprotective HSPs.

Effect of thermal stress on protein expression in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis Lmk

The exposure of organisms to stressing agents may affect the level and pattern of protein expression. Certain proteins with an important role in protein homeostasis and in the tolerance to stress, known as stress proteins, are especially affected. Different tissues and cells show a range of sensitivities to stress, depending on the habitat to which organisms have adapted. The response of different tissues and cells from the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis Lmk. to heat shock has been studied in this work using different exposure times and temperatures. During the assays, protein expression was observed to vary depending on the tissue studied, the temperature or the exposure time used. But maybe the most prominent thing is the different response obtained from the cultured haemocytes and those freshly obtained from stressed mussels, which makes us think that the extraction procedure is the main cause of the response of non-cultured cells, although the haemolymph may contain components that modulate haemocyte response.

Heat-shock response of the upper intertidal barnacle Balanus glandula: thermal stress and acclimation

In the intertidal zone in the Pacific Northwest, body temperatures of sessile marine organisms can reach 35 degrees C for an extended time during low tide, resulting in potential physiological stress. We used immunochemical assays to examine the effects of thermal stress on endogenous Hsp70 levels in the intertidal barnacle Balanus glandula. After thermal stress, endogenous Hsp70 levels did not increase above control levels in B. glandula exposed to 20 and 28 degrees C. In a separate experiment, endogenous Hsp70 levels were higher than control levels when B. glandula was exposed to 34 degrees C for 8.5 h. Although an induced heat-shock response was observed, levels of conjugated ubiquitin failed to indicate irreversible protein damage at temperatures up to 34 degrees C. With metabolic labeling, we examined temperature acclimation and thermally induced heat-shock proteins in B. glandula. An induced heat-shock response of proteins in the 70-kDa region (Hsp70) occurred in B. glandula above 23 degrees C. This heat-shock response was similar in molting and non-molting barnacles. Acclimation of B. glandula to relatively higher temperatures resulted in higher levels of protein synthesis in the 70-kDa region and lack of an upward shift in the induction temperature for heat-shock proteins. Our results suggest that B. glandula may be well adapted to life in the high intertidal zone but may lack the plasticity to acclimate to higher temperatures.

Gene structure and seasonal expression of carp fish prolactin short receptor isoforms

The complex adaptive mechanisms that eurythermal fish have evolved in response to the seasonal changes of the environment include the transduction of the physical parameter variations into neuroendocrine signals. Studies in carp (Cyprinus carpio) have indicated that prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH) expression is associated with acclimatization, suggesting that the pituitary gland is a relevant physiological node in this adaptive process. Also, the distinctive pattern of expression that carp prolactin receptor (PRLr) protein depicts upon seasonal acclimatization supports the hypothesis that PRL and its receptor clearly are involved in the new homeostatic stage that the eurythermal fish needs to survive during the cyclical changes of its habitat. Here, we characterize the first prolactin receptor gene in a teleost and show that its expression is not associated with alternative promoters, unlike in humans and rodents. Using the regulatory region to direct the transcription of green fluorescent protein (GFP) in zebrafish embryos, we mapped the appearance of this hormone receptor during fish development. This is the first report identifying a fish prolactin receptor gene expressing transcript isoforms encoding for short forms of the protein (45 kDa). These have been found in osmoregulatory tissues of the carp and are regulated in connection with the seasonal acclimatization of the fish.

Heat shock proteins and the heat shock response during hyperthermia and its modulation by altered physiological conditions

The fundamental functions of heat shock proteins (HSPs) are molecular chaperoning and cellular repair. There is little literature on the association between the numerous functions of HSPs and systemic integrative responses, particularly those controlled by the central nervous system. This chapter focuses on the role played by members of the HSP70 superfamily, universally recognized as cytoprotectants during heat stress, within the physiological context of hyperthermia and with its superimposition on situations of chronic stress. In the nucleus tractus solitarius, HSP70 levels enhance the sensitivity of sympathetic and parasympathetic arms of the autonomic nervous system to attenuate heat stroke-induced cerebral ischemia and hypotension. Chronic stressors that alter the heat shock response may affect the physiological profile during hyperthermic conditions. Upon aging, significantly lower HSP70 production is noted in the ventral paraventricular and lateral magnocellular nuclei. Likewise, results from cultured cells suggest that the age-related decline in HSP70 expression is constitutive and is due to decreased binding of the heat shock factor 1 (HSF-1) to the heat shock element (HSE) and diminished HSP70 transcription. These changes may be associated with decreased thermotolerance upon aging, although HSP70 production in response to other stressors is not affected. Heat acclimation (AC), in contrast, increases tissue reserves of HSP70 and accelerates the heat shock response. AC protects epithelial integrity, vascular reactivity and interactions with cellular signaling networks, enhancing protection and delaying thermal injury. The link between HSP70 and the immune system is discussed with respect to exercise. Exercise enhances the immune response via production of HSP72 in central and peripheral structures. At least in part, the effects of HSP72 in the brain are mediated via eHSP72-circulating HSPs providing a "danger signal" to activate the immune response. In summary, HSPs are primarily cytoprotective components, the physiological situations described in this chapter infer their pivotal role in central control of integrative systems.

A cDNA microarray analysis of the response to heat stress in hepatopancreas tissue of the porcelain crab Petrolisthes cinctipes

Intertidal zone organisms experience thermal stress during periods of low tide, and much work has shown that induction of heat shock proteins and ubiquitination occurs in response to this stress. However, less is known of other cellular pathways that are regulated following thermal stress in these organisms. Here, we used a functional genomics approach to identify genes that were up- and downregulated following heat stress in the intertidal porcelain crab, Petrolisthes cinctipes using custom cDNA microarrays made from 13,824 cloned P. cinctipes ESTs representing 6717 unique consensus sequences. Statistically significant differences in gene expression between heat stressed and control groups were determined with R/maanova. Genes upregulated following heat stress were involved with protein folding, protein degradation, protein synthesis and gluconeogenesis, suggesting that heat stress accelerated protein turnover. Genes downregulated following heat stress were involved with detoxification, oxygen transport, oxidative phosphorylation, and lipid metabolism, suggesting that the animals were avoiding the generation of reactive oxygen species. ESTs matching hypothetical proteins and ESTs that had no GenBank match were also found to have been both upregulated and downregulated following heat stress, suggesting that novel genes may be involved in the heat stress response.

Oxidative stress during stressful heat exposure and recovery in the North Sea eelpout Zoarces viviparus L

The interplay between antioxidants, heat shock proteins and hypoxic signaling is supposed to be important for passive survival of critical temperature stress, e.g. during unfavorable conditions in hot summers. We investigated the effect of mild (18 degrees C), critical (22 degrees C) and severe (26 degrees C) experimental heat stress, assumed to induce different degrees of functional hypoxia, as well as the effect of recovery following heat stress on these parameters in liver samples of the common eelpout Zoarces viviparus. Upon heat exposure to critical and higher temperatures we found an increase in oxidative damage markers such as TBARS (thiobarbituric reactive substances) and a more oxidized cellular redox potential, combined with reduced activities of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase at 26 degrees C. Together, these point to higher oxidative stress levels during hyperthermia. In a recovery-time series, heat-induced hypoxia and subsequent reoxygenation upon return of the fishes to 12 degrees C led to increased protein oxidation and chemiluminescence rates within the first 12 h of recovery, therein resembling ischemia/reperfusion injury in mammals. HSP70 levels were found to be only slightly elevated after recovery from sub-lethal heat stress, indicating minor importance of the heat shock response in this species. The DNA binding activity of the hypoxia-inducible transcription factor (HIF-1) was elevated only during mild heat exposure (18 degrees C), but appeared impaired at more severe heat stress. We suppose that the more oxidized redox state during extreme heat may interfere with the hypoxic signaling response.

Intraspecific variation in thermal tolerance and heat shock protein gene expression in common killifish,Fundulus heteroclitus

Populations of common killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus, are distributed along the Atlantic coast of North America through a steep latitudinal thermal gradient. We examined intraspecific variation in whole-animal thermal tolerance and its relationship to the heat shock response in killifish from the northern and southern extremes of the species range. Critical thermal maxima were significantly higher in southern than in northern fish by ∼1.5°C at a wide range of acclimation temperatures (from 2-34°C), and critical thermal minima differed by ∼1.5°C at acclimation temperatures above 22°C, converging on the freezing point of brackish water at lower acclimation temperatures. To determine whether these differences in whole-organism thermal tolerance were reflected in differences in either the sequence or regulation of the heat shock protein genes(hsps) we obtained complete cDNA sequences for hsc70, hsp70-1 and hsp70-2, and partial sequences of hsp90α and hsp90β. There were no fixed differences in amino acid sequence between populations in either hsp70-1 or hsp70-2, and only a single conservative substitution between populations in hsc70. By contrast, there were significant differences between populations in the expression of many, but not all, of these genes. Both northern and southern killifish significantly increased hsp70-2 levels above control values(Ton) at a heat shock temperature of 33°C, but the magnitude of this induction was greater in northern fish, suggesting that northern fish may be more susceptible to thermal damage than are southern fish. In contrast, hsp70-1 mRNA levels increased gradually and to the same extent in response to heat shock in both populations. Hsc70 mRNA levels were significantly elevated by heat shock in southern fish, but not in northern fish. Similarly, the more thermotolerant southern killifish had a Ton for hsp90α of 30°C, 2°C lower than that of northern fish. This observation combined with the ability of southern killifish to upregulate hsc70 in response to heat shock suggests a possible role for these hsps in whole-organism differences in thermal tolerance. These data highlight the importance of considering the complexity of the heat shock response across multiple isoforms when attempting to make linkages to whole-organism traits such as thermal tolerance.

Induction of the 72-kilodalton heat shock protein and protection from ultraviolet B-induced cell death in human keratinocytes by repetitive exposure to heat shock or 15-deoxy-delta(12,14)-prostaglandin J2

It has been demonstrated that hyperthermia protects keratinocytes from ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced cell death in culture and in vivo. This effect is mediated by the antiapoptotic effect of heat shock proteins that are transiently induced after exposure to heat at sublethal temperatures. Consequently, induction of Hsp has been proposed as a novel means of photoprotection. However, in the face of daily UVB exposure of human skin in vivo, this approach would not be useful if keratinocytes become less sensitive to Hsp induction with repeated exposure to the inducing agent. The aim of this study was to investigate whether repeated exposure to hyperthermia or to the stress protein activating cyclopentenone prostaglandin 15-deoxy-delta(12,14)-prostaglandin J2 (15dPGJ2) leads to adaptation of the cells, attenuation of the heat shock response, and abrogation of the protective effect. Normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK) and the carcinoma-derived cell line A431 were exposed to either 42 degrees C or to 15dPGJ2 for 4 hours at 24-hour intervals for 4 consecutive days. The intracellular level of the 72-kDa heat shock protein (Hsp72) was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Cells were exposed to UVB from a metal halide source after the last heat or 15dPGJ2 treatment, and survival was determined 24 hours after exposure by a MTT assay. Our results demonstrate that (1) heat shock and 15dPGJ2 are potent inducers of Hsp72 expression and lead to increased resistance to UVB-induced cell death in human keratinocytes; (2) re-exposure to heat shock leads to a superinduction without attenuation of the absolute increase in Hsp72 and of its UVB-protective effect; (3) the UVB tolerance induced by 15dPGJ2 is enhanced by repeated exposure without a further increase of Hsp72; (4) repeated heat shock and 15dPGJ2 up to a concentration of 1 microg/mL have no influence on cell growth over a period of 4 days. We conclude that through repeated exposure to Hsp-inducing factors, stress tolerance can be maintained without additional toxicity in human keratinocytes. These results provide a basis for the development of nontoxic Hsp inducers that can be repeatedly applied without loss of effect.

Sudden origins: a general mechanism of evolution based on stress protein concentration and rapid environmental change

A major theme in Darwinian evolutionary theory is that novelty arises through a process in which organisms and their features are gradually transformed. Morgan provided Darwinism and the evolutionary synthesis with the idea that minor mutations produce the minuscule morphological variations on which natural selection then acts, and that, although mutation is random, once a process of gradual genetic modification begins, it becomes directional and leads to morphological, and consequently organismal, transformation. In contrast, studies on the role of cell membrane physical states in regulating the expression of stress proteins in response to environmental shifts indicate the existence of a downstream mechanism that prevents or corrects genetic change (i.e., maintains "DNA homeostasis"). However, episodic spikes in various kinds of environmental stress that exceed an organism's cells' thresholds for expression of proper amounts of stress proteins responsible for protein folding (including stochastically occurring DNA repair) may increase mutation rate and genetic change, which in turn will alter the pattern of gene expression during development. If severe stress disrupts DNA homeostasis during meiosis (gametogenesis), this could allow for the appearance of significant mutational events that would otherwise be corrected or suppressed. In evolutionary terms, extreme spikes in environmental stress make possible the emergence of new genetic and consequent developmental and epigenetic networks, and thus also the emergence of potentially new morphological traits, without invoking geographic or other isolating mechanisms.

Turning up the heat: The effects of thermal acclimation on the kinetics of hsp70 gene expression in the eurythermal goby, Gillichthys mirabilis

Most organisms respond to temperature fluctuations by altering the expression of an evolutionarily conserved family of proteins known as heat shock proteins (Hsps). Studies have shown Hsp expression and the activation of HSF1, one of the primary regulators of Hsp transcription, are highly malleable, varying with the recent thermal history of the organism; however, the mechanisms that confer plasticity to the regulation of this ubiquitous response are not well-understood. This study furthers our knowledge in this area by characterizing the activation kinetics of HSF1 and the corresponding transcription of hsp70 in the liver of the eurythermal goby, Gillichthys mirabilis, following a month-long acclimation at 13, 21 or 28 degrees C. Our data revealed HSF1 DNA-binding kinetics varied as a function of acclimation temperature and magnitude/duration of exposure, with gobies acclimated at 21 degrees C exhibiting the most robust response. Hsp70 mRNA followed a similar pattern with induction first occurring in the 13 and 21 degrees C fish, and then most robustly in the 28 degrees C group at 36 degrees C. The hsp70 mRNA induction pattern was corroborated by levels of HSF1 DNA-binding activity in each group and may have been lowest in the 28 degrees C group due to the 2-fold greater levels of hsp70 protein prior to thermal exposure. This study illustrates the integral role of HSF1 as a key regulator of Hsp induction and helps explain the plasticity of this response in ectothermic organisms.

Two-dimensional gel analysis of the heat-shock response in marine snails(genus Tegula): interspecific variation in protein expression and acclimation ability

The degree to which temperature acclimation modifies the acute synthesis of the entire heat-shock protein (Hsp) complement is still unknown, but it may constitute an important mechanism for understanding the differences in acclimation ability among closely related ectothermic species that occupy widely varying thermal environments. In general, eurythermal (heat-tolerant)species modify physiological function in response to an increase in acclimation temperature to a greater extent than stenothermal (heat-sensitive)species. In the present work I used 35S-labelled amino acids and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis to test this assumption for how acclimation affects acute Hsp expression (referred to as phenotypic plasticity) in two heat-sensitive, low-intertidal to subtidal zone turban snails, Tegula brunnea and T. montereyi, in comparison to a heat-tolerant, mid- to low-intertidal zone congener, T. funebralis. I was able (i) to detect the synthesis of over 30 proteins in gill tissue,primarily in the 70 kDa range, in response to an increase in temperature(13°C, 24°C, 27°C and 30°C), (ii) to assess the effect of acclimation (13°C vs 22°C) on acute Hsp synthesis, and (iii)to compare this effect among the three Tegula congeners. After increasing acclimation temperature from 13°C to 22°C, synthesis of the most highly expressed Hsps decreased more in T. brunnea and T. montereyi than in T. funebralis. Two highly expressed proteins of molecular mass 71 and 74 kDa, however, were also synthesized constitutively at 13°C and changed with increasing acclimation temperature in all three species. Although similar in phenotypic plasticity, T. brunnea and T. montereyi synthesized either a 76 or a 72 kDa cluster of proteins,respectively, and differed in how acclimation affected the acute synthesis of several 77 kDa proteins. Thus, in Tegula, the effect of acclimation on Hsp expression is (i) Hsp-specific, (ii) dependent on a protein's expression pattern (constitutive and inducible vs only inducible),(iii) and is actually limited in the more eurythermal mid- to low-intertidal congener. These results contradict the general assumption that greater heat tolerance correlates with an increased ability to modify physiological function in response to acclimation.

Cross‐Tolerance in the Tidepool Sculpin: The Role of Heat Shock Proteins

Cross-tolerance, or the ability of one stressor to transiently increase tolerance to a second heterologous stressor, is thought to involve the induction of heat shock proteins (Hsp). We thus investigated the boundaries of cross-tolerance in tidepool sculpins (Oligocottus maculosus) and their relationship to Hsp70 levels. Survival of sculpins exposed to severe osmotic (90 ppt, 2 h) and hypoxic (0.33 mg O(2)/L, 2 h) stressors increased from 68% to 96%, and from 47% to 76%, respectively, following a +12 degrees C heat shock. The magnitude of this heat shock was critical for protection. A +10 degrees C heat shock did not confer cross-tolerance, while a +15 degrees C heat shock was deleterious. Sculpins required between 8 and 48 h of recovery following the +12 degrees C heat shock to develop cross-tolerance. There was no association between Hsp70 levels before the onset of the secondary stressor and cross-tolerance. However, branchial Hsp70 levels following osmotic shock were highly correlated with the time frame of cross-tolerance. Thus, Hsp70 induction by the priming stressor may be less important than the ability of the cell to mount an Hsp response to subsequent stressors. The time frame of cross-tolerance is similar to the interval between low tides, suggesting the possible relevance of this response in nature.

Heat shock protein induction in the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium malcolmsonii: Acclimation-influenced variations in the induction temperatures for Hsp70

The intracellular build-up of thermally damaged proteins following exposure to heat stress results in the synthesis of heat shock proteins (Hsps). In the present study, the upper thermal tolerance and expression of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) were examined in juveniles of the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium malcolmsonii that had been acclimated at two different temperatures, i.e. 20 degrees C (group A) and 30 degrees C (group B), in the laboratory for 30 days. Upper thermal tolerance was determined by a standard method. For heat-shock experiments, prawns in groups A and B were exposed to various elevated temperatures for 3 h each, followed by 1 h recovery at the acclimation temperature. Endogenous levels of Hsp70 were determined in the gill, heart, hepatopancreas and skeletal muscle tissues by Western blotting analysis of one dimensional sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The critical thermal maximum (CT max) for prawns in groups A and B was 37.7+/-0.27 degrees C and 41.41+/-0.16 degrees C, respectively. In general, Western blotting analysis for Hsp70 revealed one band at the 70 kDa region, containing both constitutive (Hsc70) and inducible (Hsp70) isoforms, in the gill and heart tissues; these were not detected in the hepatopancreas and skeletal muscle tissues. The onset temperature for Hsp70 induction in both gill and heart tissues was 30 degrees C for prawns in group A and 34 degrees C for those in group B. The optimum induction temperatures (at which Hsp70 induction was maximum) were found to be 34 degrees C and 32 degrees C, respectively, in the gill and heart tissues of group A prawns, and 38 degrees C and 36 degrees C, respectively, for group B prawns. These results suggest that the temperature at which acclimation occurs influences both upper thermal tolerance and Hsp70 induction in M. malcolmsonii.

Interaction of rearing environment and reproductive tactic on gene expression profiles in Atlantic salmon

Organisms that share the same genotype can develop into divergent phenotypes, depending on environmental conditions. In Atlantic salmon, young males of the same age can be found either as sneakers or immature males that are future anadromous fish. Just as the organism-level phenotype varies between divergent male developmental trajectories, brain gene expression is expected to vary as well. We hypothesized that rearing environment can also have an important effect on gene expression in the brain and possibly interact with the reproductive tactic adopted. We tested this hypothesis by comparing brain gene expression profiles of the two male tactics in fish from the same population that were reared in either a natural stream or under laboratory conditions. We found that expression of certain genes was affected by rearing environment only, while others varied between male reproductive tactics independent of rearing environment. Finally, more than half of all genes that showed variable expression varied between the two male tactics only in one environment. Thus, in these fish, very different molecular pathways can give rise to similar macro-phenotypes depending on rearing environment. This result gives important insights into the molecular underpinnings of developmental plasticity in relationship to the environment.

Stress-related genomic responses during the course of heat acclimation and its association with ischemic-reperfusion cross-tolerance

Acclimation to heat is a biphasic process involving a transient perturbed phase followed by a long lasting period during which acclimatory homeostasis is developed. In this investigation, we used cDNA stress microarray (Clontech Laboratory) to characterize the stress-related genomic response during the course of heat acclimation and to test the hypotheses that 1) heat acclimation influences the threshold of activation of protective molecular signaling, and 2) heat-acclimation-mediated ischemic-reperfusion (I/R) protection is coupled with reprogrammed gene expression leading to altered capacity or responsiveness of protective-signaling pathways shared by heat and I/R cytoprotective systems. Rats were acclimated at 34°C for 0, 2, and 30 days.32P-labeled RNA samples prepared from the left ventricles of rats before and after subjection to heat stress (HS; 2 h, 41°C) or after I/R insult (ischemia: 75%, 45 min; reperfusion: 30 min) were hybridized onto the array membranes. Confirmatory RT-PCR of selected genes conducted on samples taken at 0, 30, and 60 min after HS or total ischemia was used to assess the promptness of the transcriptional response. Cluster analysis of the expressed genes indicated that acclimation involves a “two-tier” defense strategy: an immediate transient response peaking at the initial acclimating phase to maintain DNA and cellular integrity, and a sustained response, correlated with slowly developed adaptive, long-lasting cytoprotective signaling networks involving genes encoding proteins that are essential for the heat-shock response, antiapoptosis, and antioxidation. Gene activation was stress specific. Faster activation and suppression of signaling pathways shared by HS and I/R stressors probably contribute to heat-acclimation I/R cross-tolerance.

Magnitude and Duration of Thermal Stress Determine Kinetics ofhspGene Regulation in the GobyGillichthys mirabilis

The stress-induced transcription of heat shock genes is controlled by heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1), which becomes activated in response to heat and other protein denaturants. In previous research on the eurythermal goby Gillichthys mirabilis, thermal activation of HSF1 was shown to vary as a function of acclimation temperature, suggesting the mechanistic importance of HSF1 activation to the plasticity of heat shock protein (Hsp) induction temperature. We examined the effect of season on the thermal activation of HSF1 in G. mirabilis, as well as the relative kinetics of HSF1 activation and Hsp70 mRNA production at ecologically relevant temperatures. There was no predictable seasonality in the thermal activation of HSF1, perhaps due to the existence of stressors, in addition to heat, acting in the field. Concentrations of Hsp70, a negative regulator of HSF1, as well as those of HSF1, varied with collection date. The rapidity of HSF1 activation and of Hsp70 mRNA synthesis increased with laboratory exposure temperature. Furthermore, Hsp70 mRNA production was more sustained at 35 degrees C than at 30 degrees C. Therefore, both the magnitude and the duration of a heat shock are important in determining the intensity of heat shock gene induction.

Seasonal environmental changes modulate the prolactin receptor expression in an eurythermal fish

Eurythermal fish have evolved compensatory responses to the cyclical seasonal changes of the environment. The complex adaptive mechanisms include the transduction of the physical parameters variations into molecular signals. Studies in carp have indicated that prolactin and growth hormone expression is associated with acclimatization, suggesting that the pituitary gland is a relevant physiological node in the generation of the homeostatic rearrangement that occurs in this adaptive process. Here, we report the cloning and characterization of a full-length carp prolactin receptor cDNA, which codes for the long form of the protein resembling that found in mammalian prolactin receptors. We identified up to three receptor transcript isoforms in different tissues of the teleost and assessed cell- and temporal-specific transcription and protein expression in carp undergoing seasonal acclimatization. The distinctive pattern of expression that carp prolactin receptor (cPRLr) depicts upon seasonal acclimatization supports the hypothesis that prolactin and its receptor are clearly involved in the new homeostatic stage that the eurythermal fish needs to survive during the cyclical changes of its habitat.

Are hsps suitable for indicating stressed states in fish?

In response to most stressors, fish will elicit a generalized physiological stress response, which involves the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal axis (HPI). As in other vertebrates, this generalized stress response comprises physiological responses that are common to a wide range of environmental, physical and biological stressors. Recently, several families of heat shock proteins (hsps) have been proposed as indicators of a generalized stress response at the cellular level. Recent findings that hsp levels, in various fish tissues, respond to a wide range of stressors have supported the use of these proteins as indicators of stressed states in fish. However, the cellular stress response can vary, for example, according to tissue, hsp family and type of stressor. This brief overview of these responses in fish asks the question of whether changes in levels and families of hsps can be used as a suitable indicator of stressed states in fish. By casting this question in the context of the well-established generalized physiological stress response in fish, we argue that the use of hsps as indicators of stressed states in fish in general is premature.

Membrane fluidity and the perception of environmental signals in cyanobacteria and plants

Photosynthetic organisms, namely, plants and cyanobacteria, are directly exposed to changes in their environment and their survival depends on their ability to acclimate to such changes. Several lines of evidence suggest that temperature stress, such as unusually low or high temperatures, and osmotic stress might be perceived by plants and cyanobacteria via changes in the fluidity of their cell membranes. The availability of techniques for gene-targeted mutagenesis and gene transfer, as well as for the analysis of genomes and transcripts, has allowed us to examine and evaluate this hypothesis and its implications. In this review, we summarize recent studies of the regulation of gene expression by changes in the extent of unsaturation of fatty acids and membrane fluidity, and we present a discussion of the induction of gene expression by environmental stress and of sensors of environmental conditions and relationships between their activity and the fluidity of membranes in cyanobacteria and plants.

Phenotypic plasticity of HSP70 and HSP70 gene expression in the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas): implications for thermal limits and induction of thermal tolerance

Pacific oysters, Crassostrea gigas, living at a range of tidal heights, routinely encounter large seasonal fluctuations in temperature. We demonstrate that the thermal limits of oysters are relatively plastic, and that these limits are correlated with changes in the expression of one family of heat-shock proteins (HSP70). Oysters were cultured in the intertidal zone, at two tidal heights, and monitored for changes in expression of cognate (HSC) and inducible (HSP) heat-shock proteins during the progression from spring through winter. We found that the "control" levels (i.e., prior to laboratory heat shock) of HSC77 and HSC72 are positively correlated with increases in ambient temperature and were significantly higher in August than in January. The elevated level of HSCs during the summer was associated with moderate, 2-3 degrees C, increases in the upper thermal limits for survival. We measured concomitant increases in the threshold temperatures (T(on)) required for induction of HSP70. Total hsp70 mRNA expression reflected the seasonal changes in the expression of inducible but not cognate members of the HSP70 family of proteins. A potential cost of increased T(on) in the summer is that there was no extension of the upper thermal limits for survival (i.e., induction of thermotolerance) after sublethal heat shock at temperatures that were sufficient to induce thermotolerance during the winter months.

HIF-1 is required for heat acclimation in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Chronic exposure to environmental heat improves tolerance via heat acclimation (AC). Our previous data on mammals indicate that reprogramming the expression of genes coding for stress proteins and energy-metabolism enzymes plays a major role. Knowledge of pathways leading to AC is limited. For their identification, we established a Caenorhabditis elegans AC model and tested mutants in which signaling pathways pertinent to acclimatory responses are mutated. AC attained by maintaining adult C. elegans at 25 degrees C for 18 h enhanced heat endurance of wild-type worms subjected to heat stress (35 degrees C) and conferred protection against hypoxia and cadmium. Survival curves demonstrated that both daf-2 (insulin receptor pathway) showing enhanced heat tolerance and daf-16 loss-of-function (a transcription factor mediating DAF-2 signaling) mutants benefit from AC, suggesting that the insulin receptor pathway does not mediate AC. In contrast, the hif-1 (hypoxia inducible factor) loss-of-function strain did not show acclimation, and non-acclimated vhl-1 and egl-9 mutants (overexpressing HIF-1) had greater heat endurance than the wild type. Like mammals, HIF-1 and HSP72 levels increased in the wild-type AC nematodes. HSP72 upregulation in AC hif-1 mutants was also observed; however, it was insufficient to improve heat/stress tolerance, suggesting that HIF-1 upregulation is essential for acclimation, whereas HSP72 upregulation in the absence of HIF-1 is inadequate. We conclude that HIF-1 upregulation is both an evolutionarily conserved and a necessary component of heat acclimation. The known targets of HIF-1 imply that metabolic adaptations are essential for AC-dependent tolerance to heat and heavy metals, in addition to their known role in hypoxic adaptation.

Between genotype and phenotype: protein chaperones and evolvability

Protein chaperones direct the folding of polypeptides into functional proteins, facilitate developmental signalling and, as heat-shock proteins (HSPs), can be indispensable for survival in unpredictable environments. Recent work shows that the main HSP chaperone families also buffer phenotypic variation. Chaperones can do this either directly through masking the phenotypic effects of mutant polypeptides by allowing their correct folding, or indirectly through buffering the expression of morphogenic variation in threshold traits by regulating signal transduction. Environmentally sensitive chaperone functions in protein folding and signal transduction have different potential consequences for the evolution of populations and lineages under selection in changing environments.

Heat shock response of warm-incubated barley aleurone layers

Heat shock suppresses secretory protein synthesis in GA(3)-stimulated barley (Hordeum vulgare cv. Himalaya) aleurone layers by selectively destabilizing their mRNAs and dissociating the stacked rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lamellae upon which they are translated. Heat shock also increases phosphatidylcholine (PC) synthesis, and these PC molecules have increased levels of fatty acid saturation. This appears to be adaptive, for aleurone layers maintained at heat shock temperatures for 18 h resynthesize secretory protein mRNAs, rebuild stacked ER lamellae, and resume secretory protein synthesis. In the present study aleurone layers were incubated at warmer than normal pre-heat shock temperatures to determine whether this would favor the formation of heat-resistant ER lamellae that could continue secretory protein synthesis during heat shock. Western blot and SDS-PAGE analyses showed that such treatment did not induce heat shock protein (HSP) synthesis, but it preserved significant secretory protein synthesis during heat shock. Northern hybridizations revealed that levels of mRNAs encoding secretory proteins were several-fold elevated as compared to 25°C preincubated controls, and transmission electron microscopic observations revealed stacked ER lamellae. Thin layer and gas chromatography showed that PC molecules in warm-incubated barley aleurone layers had more fatty acid saturation than did controls. These observations indicate that previous incubation temperature influences both the induction of HSP synthesis and the suppression of normal protein synthesis in the heat shock response. However, we found that it does not affect the temperature at which heat shock becomes lethal.

Thermal acclimation changes DNA-binding activity of heat shock factor 1(HSF1) in the gobyGillichthys mirabilis: implications for plasticity in the heat-shock response in natural populations

The intracellular build-up of thermally damaged proteins following exposure to heat stress results in the synthesis of a family of evolutionarily conserved proteins called heat shock proteins (Hsps) that act as molecular chaperones, protecting the cell against the aggregation of denatured proteins. The transcriptional regulation of heat shock genes by heat shock factor 1(HSF1) has been extensively studied in model systems, but little research has focused on the role HSF1 plays in Hsp gene expression in eurythermal organisms from broadly fluctuating thermal environments. The threshold temperature for Hsp induction in these organisms shifts with the recent thermal history of the individual but the mechanism by which this plasticity in Hsp induction temperature is achieved is unknown. We examined the effect of thermal acclimation on the heat-activation of HSF1 in the eurythermal teleost Gillichthys mirabilis. After a 5-week acclimation period (at 13, 21 or 28°C) the temperature of HSF1 activation was positively correlated with acclimation temperature. HSF1 activation peaked at 27°C in fish acclimated to 13°C, at 33°C in the 21°C group, and at 36°C in the 28°C group. Concentrations of both HSF1 and Hsp70 in the 28°C group were significantly higher than in the colder acclimated fish. Plasticity in HSF1 activation may be important to the adjustable nature of the heat shock response in eurythermal organisms and the environmental control of Hsp gene expression.

From molecular and cellular to integrative heat defense during exposure to chronic heat

Heat acclimation induces adaptive changes that improve the ability to cope with extreme environmental heat. Acclimatory homeostasis is manifested by an expanded dynamic thermoregulatory span (TRS), reflected in the intact organism by a lower temperature threshold (T(sh)) for heat dissipation, and delayed T(sh) for thermal injury. This principle shares common adaptive features with each of the thermoregulatory effectors. In the splanchnic circulation, e.g. the TRS of the thermally induced vasomotor response increases due to greater cardiac output distribution to the splanchnic vasculature, thereby increasing circulatory reserves and delaying thermal injury. During short-term heat acclimation (STHA), accelerated autonomic excitability plays a major role in the control of body temperature. Acclimatory homeostasis, however, is achieved only following long-term heat acclimation (LTHA), and is characterized by increased thermal effector efficiency, namely [effector organ output/autonomic signal] ratio >1. Two acclimatory responses, derived from our data on the acclimating rat model, are discussed: (1) acclimation of the cholinergic-muscarinic signaling for water secretion in the submaxillary gland; and (2) acclimatory mechanisms for increased contractile efficiency in the heart. Our data indicate that increased efficiency upon LTHA develops by reprogramming of gene expression. A reduced thyroid hormone level is responsible for some of the molecular adaptive cascades. Delayed thermal injury observed upon acclimation is due to enhanced cytoprotective mechanisms of which the inducible heat shock protein (HSP) 72 kDa plays a major role. Our data indicate that heat acclimation predisposes the HSP molecular machinery to respond faster and increases the constitutive level of the protein. STHA is the time-window during which most LTHA adaptations are switched on.

Interspecific- and acclimation-induced variation in levels of heat-shock proteins 70 (hsp70) and 90 (hsp90) and heat-shock transcription factor-1 (HSF1) in congeneric marine snails (genusTegula): implications for regulation ofhspgene expression

In our previous studies of heat-shock protein (hsp) expression in congeneric marine gastropods of the genus Tegula, we observed interspecific and acclimation-induced variation in the temperatures at which heat-shock gene expression is induced (Ton). To investigate the factors responsible for these inter- and intraspecific differences in Ton, we tested the predictions of the ‘cellular thermometer’ model for the transcriptional regulation of hsp expression. According to this model, hsps not active in chaperoning unfolded proteins bind to a transcription factor, heat-shock factor-1 (HSF1), thereby reducing the levels of free HSF1 that are available to bind to the heat-shock element, a regulatory element upstream of hsp genes. Under stress, hsps bind to denatured proteins, releasing HSF1, which can now activate hsp gene transcription. Thus, elevated levels of heat-shock proteins of the 40, 70 and 90 kDa families (hsp 40, hsp70 and hsp90, respectively) would be predicted to elevate Ton. Conversely, elevated levels of HSF1 would be predicted to decrease Ton. Following laboratory acclimation to 13, 18 and 23°C, we used solid-phase immunochemistry (western analysis) to quantify endogenous levels of two hsp70 isoforms (hsp74 and hsp72), hsp90 and HSF1 in the low- to mid-intertidal species Tegula funebralis and in two subtidal to low-intertidal congeners, T. brunnea and T. montereyi. We found higher endogenous levels of hsp72 (a strongly heat-induced isoform) at 13 and 18°C in T. funebralis in comparison with T. brunnea and T. montereyi. However, T. funebralis also had higher levels of HSF1 than its congeners. The higher levels of HSF1 in T. funebralis cannot, within the framework of the cellular thermometer model, account for the higher Ton observed for this species, although they may explain why T. funebralis is able to induce the heat-shock response more rapidly than T. brunnea. However, the cellular thermometer model does appear to explain the cause of the increases in Ton that occurred during warm acclimation of the two subtidal species, in which warm acclimation was accompanied by increased levels of hsp72, hsp74 and hsp90, whereas levels of HSF1 remained stable. T. funebralis, which experiences greater heat stress than its subtidal congeners, consistently had higher ratios of hsp72 to hsp74 than its congeners, although the sum of levels of the two isoforms was similar for all three species except at the highest acclimation temperature (23°C). The ratio of hsp72 to hsp74 may provide a more accurate estimate of environmental heat stress than the total concentrations of both hsp70 isoforms.

Daily stress protein (hsp70) cycle in chitons (Acanthopleura granulata Gmelin, 1791) which inhabit the rocky intertidal shoreline in a tropical ecosystem

Stress protein (heat shock protein, hsp70) response is involved in protecting organisms from the detrimental effects of environmental stressors, such as radiation and high temperatures. Tropical chitons can briefly tolerate high temperatures. However, they minimize the effects of elevated temperature during daylight hours and periods of tidal air exposure by remaining in rocky intertidal microhabitats along the shoreline of tropical waters. To study the natural variability of the hsp70 level, individuals of the polyplacophoran species Acanthopleura granulata Gmelin, 1791 were sampled every 4 h on two days in spring of 1999. Hsp70 levels were separately measured in the supernatant of the intestinal tract and foot muscle homogenates with a standardized immunoassay. The hsp70 level in the intestinal tract was highest in the early morning, decreased during the mid-morning hours and dropped to a comparatively low level in the afternoon, before increasing again during the night. The stress protein level in the foot muscle followed the daily air temperature curve with a time delay of a few hours, reaching the highest level in the afternoon and the lowest level in the early morning. The stress protein response can be interpreted as a sign of heat tolerance development and may play a role in allowing A. granulata to tolerate the temperature variability typical of its intertidal habitat.

Thermal acclimation and stress in the American lobster, Homarus americanus: equivalent temperature shifts elicit unique gene expression patterns for molecular chaperones and polyubiquitin

Using homologous molecular probes, we examined the influence of equivalent temperature shifts on the in vivo expression of genes coding for a constitutive heat shock protein (Hsc70), heat shock proteins (Hsps) (Hsp70 and Hsp90), and polyubiquitin, after acclimation in the American lobster, Homarus americanus. We acclimated sibling, intermolt, juvenile male lobsters to thermal regimes experienced during overwintering conditions (0.4 +/- 0.3 degrees C), and to ambient Pacific Ocean temperatures (13.6 +/- 1.2 degrees C), for 4-5 weeks. Both groups were subjected to an acute thermal stress of 13.0 degrees C, a temperature shift previously found to elicit a robust heat shock response in ambient-acclimated lobsters. Animals were examined after several durations of acute heat shock (0.25-2 hours) and after several recovery periods (2-48 hours) at the previous acclimation temperature, following a 2-hour heat shock. Significant inductions in Hsp70, Hsp90, and polyubiquitin messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were found for the ambient-acclimated group. Alternatively, for the cold-acclimated group, an acute thermal stress over an equivalent interval resulted in no induction in mRNA levels for any of the genes examined. For the ambient-acclimated group, measurements of polyubiquitin mRNA levels showed that hepatopancreas, a digestive tissue, incurred greater irreversible protein damage relative to the abdominal muscle, a tissue possessing superior stability over the thermal intervals tested.

Adjusting the thermostat: the threshold induction temperature for the heat-shock response in intertidal mussels (genus Mytilus) changes as a function of thermal history

Spatio-temporal variation in heat-shock gene expression gives organisms the ability to respond to changing thermal environments. The temperature at which heat-shock genes are induced, the threshold induction temperature, varies as a function of the recent thermal history of an organism. To elucidate the mechanism by which this plasticity in gene expression is achieved, we determined heat-shock protein (Hsp) induction threshold temperatures in the intertidal mussel Mytilus trossulus collected from the field in February and again in August. In a separate experiment, threshold induction temperatures, endogenous levels of both the constitutive and inducible isoforms of Hsps from the 70 kDa family and the quantity of ubiquitinated proteins (a measure of cellular protein denaturation) were measured in M. trossulus after either 6 weeks of cold acclimation in the laboratory or acclimatization to warm, summer temperatures in the field over the same period. In addition, we quantified levels of activated heat-shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) in both groups of mussels (HSF1 inducibly transactivates all classes of Hsp genes). Lastly, we compared the temperature of HSF1 activation with the induction threshold temperature in the congeneric M. californianus. It was found that the threshold induction temperature in M. trossulus was 23°C in February and 28°C in August. This agreed with the acclimation/acclimatization experiment, in which mussels acclimated in seawater tables to a constant temperature of 10–11°C for 6 weeks displayed a threshold induction temperature of 20–23°C compared with 26–29°C for individuals that were experiencing considerably warmer body temperatures in the intertidal zone over the same period. This coincided with a significant increase in the inducible isoform of Hsp70 in warm-acclimatized individuals but no increase in the constitutive isoform or in HSF1. Levels of ubiquitin-conjugated protein were significantly higher in the field mussels than in the laboratory-acclimated individuals. Finally, the temperature of HSF1 activation in M. californianus was found to be approximately 9°C lower than the induction threshold for this species.

Differential expression of two HSP70 transcripts in response to cold shock, thermoperiod, and adult diapause in the Colorado potato beetle

Partial clones for two members of Leptinotarsa decemlineata inducible 70kDa heat shock protein family (LdHSP70A and B) were developed using RT-PCR. LdHSP70A, but not LdHSP70B, was upregulated during adult diapause. The ability of L. decemlineata to express these two genes in response to subzero temperatures depended on the thermal history of the beetles. Chilling diapausing beetles increased the rate at which both LdHSP70A and B were expressed following a cold shock at -10 degrees C. Following cold shock at -10 degrees C, LdHSP70B expression peaked after 3h at 15 degrees C for chilled diapausing individuals, decreasing to near background levels by the sixth hour. In contrast, nonchilled diapausing beetles expressed their highest level of LdHSP70B only after 6h at 15 degrees C. Diapausing beetles exposed to a thermoperiod with a mean temperature of either 0 or -2.5 degrees C expressed significantly higher levels of both LdHSP70A and B than beetles exposed to constant 0 or -2.5 degrees C. These results demonstrate that the expression of LdHSP70A and B is differentially regulated in response to diapause and environmental conditioning.

Heat-shock protein expression is absent in the antarctic fish Trematomus bernacchii (family Nototheniidae)

The heat-shock response, the enhanced expression of one or more classes of molecular chaperones termed heat-shock proteins (hsps) in response to stress induced by high temperatures, is commonly viewed as a ‘universal’ characteristic of organisms. We examined the occurrence of the heat-shock response in a highly cold-adapted, stenothermal Antarctic teleost fish, Trematomus bernacchii, to determine whether this response has persisted in a lineage that has encountered very low and stable temperatures for at least the past 14–25 million years. The patterns of protein synthesis observed in in vivo metabolic labelling experiments that involved injection of (35)S-labelled methionine and cysteine into whole fish previously subjected to a heat stress of 10 degrees C yielded no evidence for synthesis of any size class of heat-shock protein. Parallel in vivo labelling experiments with isolated hepatocytes similarly showed significant amounts of protein synthesis, but no indication of enhanced expression of any class of hsp. The heavy metal cadmium, which is known to induce synthesis of hsps, also failed to alter the pattern of proteins synthesized in hepatocytes. Although stress-induced chaperones could not be detected under any of the experimental condition used, solid-phase antibody (western) analysis revealed that a constitutively expressed 70 kDa chaperone was present in this species, as predicted on the basis of requirements for chaperoning during protein synthesis. Amounts of the constitutively expressed 70 kDa chaperone increased in brain, but not in gill, during 22 days of acclimation to 5 degrees C. The apparent absence of a heat-shock response in this highly stenothermal species is interpreted as an indication that a physiological capacity observed in almost all other organisms has been lost as a result of the absence of positive selection during evolution at stable sub-zero temperatures. Whether the loss of the heat-shock response is due to dysfunctional genes for inducible hsps (loss of open reading frames or functional regulatory regions), unstable messenger RNAs, the absence of a functional heat-shock factor or some other lesion remains to be determined.