Heat shock protects endotheliocyte actin cytoskeleton from destruction under conditions of ATP depletion: Role of heat shock protein HSP27

Thermotolerance and gene expression following heat stress in the whitefly Bemisia tabaci B and Q biotypes

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) causes tremendous losses to agriculture by direct feeding on plants and by vectoring several families of plant viruses. The B. tabaci species complex comprises over 10 genetic groups (biotypes) that are well defined by DNA markers and biological characteristics. B and Q are amongst the most dominant and damaging biotypes, differing considerably in fecundity, host range, insecticide resistance, virus vectoriality, and the symbiotic bacteria they harbor. We used a spotted B. tabaci cDNA microarray to compare the expression patterns of 6000 ESTs of B and Q biotypes under standard 25 degrees C regime and heat stress at 40 degrees C. Overall, the number of genes affected by increasing temperature in the two biotypes was similar. Gene expression under 25 degrees C normal rearing temperature showed clear differences between the two biotypes: B exhibited higher expression of mitochondrial genes, and lower cytoskeleton, heat-shock and stress-related genes, compared to Q. Exposing B biotype whiteflies to heat stress was accompanied by rapid alteration of gene expression. For the first time, the results here present differences in gene expression between very closely related and sympatric B. tabaci biotypes, and suggest that these clear-cut differences are due to better adaptation of one biotype over another and might eventually lead to changes in the local and global distribution of both biotypes.

A role for the cytoskeleton in heat-shock-mediated thermoprotection of locust neuromuscular junctions

A prior hyperthermic stress (heat shock) can induce thermoprotection of neuromuscular transmission in Locusta migratoria extensor tibiae muscle measured 4 h after the onset of the heat shock. It is not clear what effect an acute hyperthermic stress may have on the nervous system's ability to tolerate thermal stress, that is, before increased expression of heat-shock proteins. We found that over consecutive thermal stress tests, failure temperature was not altered in either heat-shock or control animals. This suggests that protective mechanisms are not established in the short term (within one hour). Various members of the heat-shock protein family interact with elements of the cytoskeleton. We found that preexposure of the preparation to cytoskeletal stabilizing drugs induced thermoprotection, while preexposure to cytoskeletal disrupting drugs disrupted the ability to confer and maintain thermoprotection. We conclude that thermoprotection relies on a stable cytoskeleton and suggest that members of the heat shock protein family are involved.