Expression of mRNA for the t-complex polypeptide-1, a subunit of chaperonin CCT, is upregulated in association with increased cold hardiness in Delia antiqua

Transcription dynamics of heat shock proteins in response to thermal acclimation in Ostrinia furnacalis

Acclimation to abiotic stress plays a critical role in insect adaption and evolution, particularly during extreme climate events. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are evolutionarily conserved molecular chaperones caused by abiotic and biotic stressors. Understanding the relationship between thermal acclimation and the expression of specific HSPs is essential for addressing the functions of HSP families. This study investigated this issue using the Asian corn borer Ostrinia furnacalis, one of the most important corn pests in China. The transcription of HSP genes was induced in larvae exposed to 33°C. Thereafter, the larvae were exposed to 43°C, for 2 h, and then allowed to recover at 27 C for 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 h. At the recovery times 0.5–4 h, most population tolerates less around 1–3 h than without recovery (at 0 h) suffering continuous heat stress (43 C). There is no difference in the heat tolerance at 6 h recovery, with similar transcriptional levels of HSPs as the control. However, a significant thermal tolerance was observed after 8 h of the recovery time, with a higher level of HSP70. In addition, the transcription of HSP60 and HSC70 (heat shock cognate protein 70) genes did not show a significant effect. HSP70 or HSP90 significantly upregulated within 1–2 h sustained heat stress (43 C) but declined at 6 h. Our findings revealed extreme thermal stress induced quick onset of HSP70 or HSP90 transcription. It could be interpreted as an adaptation to the drastic and rapid temperature variation. The thermal tolerance of larvae is significantly enhanced after 6 h of recovery and possibly regulated by HSP70.

Convergent Evolution and Structural Adaptation to the Deep Ocean in the Protein-Folding Chaperonin CCTα

The deep ocean is the largest biome on Earth and yet it is among the least studied environments of our planet. Life at great depths requires several specific adaptations; however, their molecular mechanisms remain understudied. We examined patterns of positive selection in 416 genes from four brittle star (Ophiuroidea) families displaying replicated events of deep-sea colonization (288 individuals from 216 species). We found consistent signatures of molecular convergence in functions related to protein biogenesis, including protein folding and translation. Five genes were recurrently positively selected, including chaperonin-containing TCP-1 subunit α (CCTα), which is essential for protein folding. Molecular convergence was detected at the functional and gene levels but not at the amino-acid level. Pressure-adapted proteins are expected to display higher stability to counteract the effects of denaturation. We thus examined in silico local protein stability of CCTα across the ophiuroid tree of life (967 individuals from 725 species) in a phylogenetically corrected context and found that deep-sea-adapted proteins display higher stability within and next to the substrate-binding region, which was confirmed by in silico global protein stability analyses. This suggests that CCTα displays not only structural but also functional adaptations to deep-water conditions. The CCT complex is involved in the folding of ∼10% of newly synthesized proteins and has previously been categorized as a "cold-shock" protein in numerous eukaryotes. We thus propose that adaptation mechanisms to cold and deep-sea environments may be linked and highlight that efficient protein biogenesis, including protein folding and translation, is a key metabolic deep-sea adaptation.

Molecular characterization and expression patterns of Phenacoccus solenopsis (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) heat shock protein genes and their response to host stress

As a polyphagous insect, little is known at the molecular level about the effects of different host plants on physiological changes in Phenacoccus solenopsis. In this study, four heat shock protein (Hsp) genes (PsHsp60, PsHsp70, PsHsp90, and PsHsp20.7) were identified from the transcriptome of P. solenopsis. Analysis of Hsp expression levels revealed significant differences in Hsp gene expression levels in P. solenopsis fed on different host plants. In host conversion tests, the expression levels of PsHsp90 and PsHsp60 were upregulated after transfer of second instar nymphs from tomato to cotton. The expression levels of PsHsp70 and PsHsp20.7 were, respectively, significantly upregulated at 9 and 48 hr after transfer from tomato to Hibiscus. The results of this study aid molecular characterization and understanding of the expression patterns of Hsp genes during different developmental stages and host transfer of P. solenopsis.

Molecular cloning of heat shock protein 10 (Hsp10) and 60 (Hsp60) cDNAs from Galeruca daurica (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and their expression analysis

Galeruca daurica (Joannis) is a new outbreak pest in the Inner Mongolia grasslands in northern China. Heat shock protein 10 and 60 (Hsp10 and Hsp60) genes of G. daurica, designated as GdHsp10 and GdHsp60, were cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends techniques. Sequence analysis showed that GdHsp10 and GdHsp60 encoded polypeptides of 104 and 573 amino acids, respectively. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis clearly revealed that the amino acids of GdHsp10 and GdHsp60 had high homology and were clustered with other Hsp10 and Hsp60 genes in insects which are highly relative with G. daurica based on morphologic taxonomy. The mRNA expression analysis by real-time PCR revealed that GdHsp10 and GdHsp60 were expressed at all development stages and in all tissues examined, but expressed highest in eggs and in adults' abdomen; both heat and cold stresses could induce mRNA expression of GdHsp10 and GdHsp60 in the 2nd instar larvae; the two Hsp genes were expressed from high to low with the extension of treatment time in G. daurica eggs exposed to freezing point. Overall, our study provides useful information to understand temperature stress responses of Hsp60 and Hsp10 in G. daurica, and provides a basis to further study functions of Hsp60/Hsp10 relative to thermotolerance and cold hardiness mechanism.

Elevated chaperone proteins are a feature of winter freeze avoidance by larvae of the goldenrod gall moth, Epiblema scudderiana

Winter survival for many insect species includes a need to maintain metabolic homeostasis and structural/functional integrity of macromolecules not only over a wide range of cold temperatures but also in response to rapid temperature change. Chaperones are well-known to protect/stabilize protein structure with regard to heat stress but less is known about their potential involvement in long-term protection of the proteome at subzero temperatures. The present study assessed the participation of chaperone proteins in the cold hardiness of larvae of the goldenrod gall moth, Epiblema scudderiana (Clemens) (Lepidoptera, Olethreutidae), monitoring changes in nine proteins over the winter months as well as their responses to laboratory cold acclimation or anoxia exposure. Four heat shock proteins (HSPs: Hsp110, Hsp70, Hsp60, Hsp40), three glucose-regulated proteins (GRPs: Grp78, Grp 94, Grp170) and the tailless complex polypeptide 1 (TCP-1) as well as the heat shock transcription factor (HSF1) were investigated. In general, all were significantly elevated in larvae collected from an outdoor site between October and March, as compared with September values, and chaperone levels were reduced again in April. The October to March interval also includes the period of diapause followed by cold quiescence in the species. Relative expression of Hsp70, Hsp60 and Hsp40 rose by 2-3-fold, GRPs increased 1.5-3-fold, and levels of active (hyperphosphorylated) HSF1 increased by 4-4.8-fold over the midwinter months. Chilling from 15°C to 4°C in the laboratory upregulated Grp78 protein content that remained high as temperature was further reduced to -4°C and then -20°C whereas Hsp110, Hsp70 and HSF1 levels increased when larvae were exposed to -4°C and -20°C. Grp170 (also known as oxygen-regulated protein 150) was the only chaperone that increased significantly in the larvae in response to anoxia exposure at 4°C. The data also indicated that multiple subcellular compartments received enhanced protection for their proteome since upregulation of chaperones included proteins known to occur in cytosolic (Hsp40, Hsp70), mitochondrial (Hsp60) and endoplasmic reticulum (Grp170) locations. Overall, the data indicate that chaperones have a significant role to play in the winter cold hardiness of E. scudderiana and identify declining temperatures (and perhaps also oxygen restriction) as potential modulators of chaperone production. The data add support to a relatively understudied area of insect cold hardiness - the long-term protection and stabilization of the proteome over the winter months.

Characterization and Expression Pattern Analysis of the T-Complex Protein-1 Zeta Subunit in Musca domestica L (Diptera)

Chaperonins, belonging to the T-complex protein-1 (TCP-1) family, assist in the correct folding of nascent and misfolded proteins. It is well-known that in mammals, the zeta subunit of the TCP-1 complex (TCP-1ζ) plays a vital role in the folding and assembly of cytoskeleta proteins. This study reported for the first time the cloning, characterization and expression pattern analysis of the TCP-1ζ from Musca domestica, which was named as MdTCP-1ζ. The MdTCP-1ζ cDNA is 1,803 bp long with a 1,596 bp open reading frame that encodes a protein with 531 bp amino acids. The analysis of the transcriptional profile of MdTCP-1ζ using qRT-PCR revealed relatively high expression in the salivary glands and trachea at the tissues while among the developmental stages. The highest expression was observed only in the eggs suggesting that the MdTCP-1ζ may play a role in embryonic development. The expression of MdTCP-1ζ was also significantly induced after exposure to short-term heat shock and infection by Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, or Candida albicans. This suggested that MdTCP-1ζ may take part in the immune responses of housefly and perhaps contribute to the protection against cellular injury.

Evolutionary genomics of Culex pipiens: global and local adaptations associated with climate, life-history traits and anthropogenic factors

We present the first genome-wide study of recent evolution in Culex pipiens species complex focusing on the genomic extent, functional targets and likely causes of global and local adaptations. We resequenced pooled samples of six populations of C. pipiens and two populations of the outgroup Culex torrentium. We used principal component analysis to systematically study differential natural selection across populations and developed a phylogenetic scanning method to analyse admixture without haplotype data. We found evidence for the prominent role of geographical distribution in shaping population structure and specifying patterns of genomic selection. Multiple adaptive events, involving genes implicated with autogeny, diapause and insecticide resistance were limited to specific populations. We estimate that about 5–20% of the genes (including several histone genes) and almost half of the annotated pathways were undergoing selective sweeps in each population. The high occurrence of sweeps in non-genic regions and in chromatin remodelling genes indicated the adaptive importance of gene expression changes. We hypothesize that global adaptive processes in the C. pipiens complex are potentially associated with South to North range expansion, requiring adjustments in chromatin conformation. Strong local signature of adaptation and emergence of hybrid bridge vectors necessitate genomic assessment of populations before specifying control agents.

Characterization of CCTα and evaluating its expression in the mud crab Scylla paramamosain when challenged by low temperatures alone and in combination with high and low salinity

Chaperonin containing the T-complex polypeptide-1 (CCT), which is known to be involved in intracellular assembly and folding of proteins, is a class of chaperonin omnipresent in all forms of life. Previous studies showed that CCT played a vital role in cold hardiness of various animals. In order to understand the response of the polypeptide complex to low temperature challenge and other environmental stresses, a subunit of CCT (CCTα) was cloned from the mud crab Scylla paramamosain by expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The full-length cDNA SpCCTα was of 1972 bp and contained a 1668 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a polypeptide of 555 amino acids with four conserved motifs. The messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels of SpCCTα in ten tissues of adult S. paramamosain was subsequently examined and the highest expression was found in muscle, followed by gill, hepatopancreas, thoracic ganglion, hemocyte, heart, cerebral ganglion, stomach, eyestalk ganglion, and epidermis. The expressions of SpCCTα in the muscle of sub-adult crabs (pre-acclimated to 28 °C) subjected to the challenges of both lower temperatures (25, 20, 15, and 10 °C) alone and low temperatures (15 and 10 °C) in combination with salinity of 35 and 10 were further investigated by fluorescent quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). It was revealed that when exposed to lower temperatures alone, the mRNA transcripts of the SpCCTα gene in the muscle were generally induced for significant higher expression at 10 °C treatment than the 25, 20, and 15 °C treatments; meanwhile, exposure to 15 °C also frequently led to significantly higher expression than those at 20 and 25 °C. This finding indicated that the up-regulation of SpCCTα was closely related to the cold hardiness of S. paramamosain. The results of an additional experiment challenging the sub-adult crabs with various combinations of low temperatures with different salinity conditions generally demonstrated that at both 10 and 15 °C, the expression of SpCCTα under the high salinity of 35 was significantly lower than that at low salinity of 10, implying that the damages caused by low temperatures with high salinity were less than that under low salinity.

Gpd1 Regulates the Activity of Tcp-1 and Heat Shock Response in Yeast Cells: Effect on Aggregation of Mutant Huntingtin

A significant correlation has been observed between the length of the polyglutamine tract in huntingtin, its aggregation and the progression of Huntington's disease (HD). The chaperonin TRiC is a potent antagonist of aggregation of mutant huntingtin. Using the well-validated Saccharomyces cerevisiae model of HD, we have investigated the role of age-related post-translational modifications of this heterooligomeric chaperonin on its ability to inhibit aggregation of the mutant protein. We show that the glycerol synthetic enzyme Gpd1 is involved in the post-translational modification of Tcp-1 (subunit of TRiC) by acetylation and glycation through the NAD(+)/NADH shuttle and the triose phosphate intermediate dihydroxyacetone phosphate, respectively. The extent of modification of Tcp-1 shows a negative correlation with the solubility of mutant huntingtin. The absence of Gpd1 also induces heat shock response in yeast cells, further inhibiting aggregation of the mutant protein. Thus, Gpd1 acts as a major regulator of the protein folding machinery in the yeast model of HD. Modification and inactivation of cellular chaperonin are accelerated in an aging cell, which has further deleterious effects for a cell harbouring misfolded/aggregated protein(s).

Insect heat shock proteins during stress and diapause

Insect heat shock proteins include ATP-independent small heat shock proteins and the larger ATP-dependent proteins, Hsp70, Hsp90, and Hsp60. In concert with cochaperones and accessory proteins, heat shock proteins mediate essential activities such as protein folding, localization, and degradation. Heat shock proteins are synthesized constitutively in insects and induced by stressors such as heat, cold, crowding, and anoxia. Synthesis depends on the physiological state of the insect, but the common function of heat shock proteins, often working in networks, is to maintain cell homeostasis through interaction with substrate proteins. Stress-induced expression of heat shock protein genes occurs in a background of protein synthesis inhibition, but in the course of diapause, a state of dormancy and increased stress tolerance, these genes undergo differential regulation without the general disruption of protein production. During diapause, when ATP concentrations are low, heat shock proteins may sequester rather than fold proteins.

Insect cold hardiness: metabolic, gene, and protein adaptation1This review is part of a virtual symposium on recent advances in understanding a variety of complex regulatory processes in insect physiology and endocrinology, including development, metabolism, cold hardiness, food intake and digestion, and diuresis, through the use of omics technologies in the postgenomic era

Winter survival for thousands of species of insects relies on adaptive strategies for cold hardiness. Two basic mechanisms are widely used (freeze avoidance by deep supercooling and freeze tolerance where insects endure ice formation in extracellular fluid spaces), whereas additional strategies (cryoprotective dehydration, vitrification) are also used by some polar species in extreme environments. This review assesses recent research on the biochemical adaptations that support insect cold hardiness. We examine new information about the regulation of cryoprotectant biosynthesis, mechanisms of metabolic rate depression, role of aquaporins in water and glycerol movement, and cell preservation strategies (chaperones, antioxidant defenses and metal binding proteins, mitochondrial suppression) for survival over the winter. We also review the new information coming from the use of genomic and proteomic screening methods that are greatly widening the scope for discovery of genes and proteins that support winter survival.

Chaperone proteins and winter survival by a freeze tolerant insect

The role of chaperone proteins in the winter survival of insects was evaluated in freeze tolerant gall fly larvae, Eurosta solidaginis. Levels of four heat shock proteins (Hsp110, Hsp70, Hsp60, Hsp40), two glucose-regulated proteins (Grp75, Grp78) and three others (tailless complex polypeptide 1 [TCP-1], αA-crystallin, αB-crystallin) were tracked in outdoor larvae from September to April and, in addition, laboratory experiments assessed chilling, freezing, and anoxia effects on these proteins. Gall fly larvae showed consistent elevation of Hsp110, Hsp70, Hsp40, Grp78 and αB-crystallin over the late autumn and winter months, generally 1.5-2.0-fold higher than September values. This suggests that these proteins contribute to cell preservation over the winter months via protection and stabilization of macromolecules. By contrast, levels of the mitochondrial Hsp60 fell to just 40% of September values by midwinter, paralleling the responses by numerous mitochondrial enzymes and consistent with a reduction in total mitochondria numbers over the winter. None of the proteins were altered when 15°C acclimated larvae were chilled to 3°C for 24h but Hsp70, Hsp40 and Grp75 increased during freezing at -16°C for 24h whereas others (Hsp110, TCP-1 and both crystallins) increased significantly after larvae thawed at 3°C. Anoxia exposure (24h under N2 gas at 15°C) elevated levels of Hsp70, Grp78 and the two crystallins. Levels of active hyperphosphorylated heat shock transcription factor (HSF1) were also analyzed, giving an indication of the state of hsp gene transcription in the larvae. HSF1 was high in September and October but fell to less than 40% of September values in midwinter consistent with suppression of gene transcription in diapause larvae. HSF1 levels responded positively to freezing and increased robustly by 4.9-fold under anoxia. Overall, the data provide strong evidence for the importance of protein chaperones as a mechanism of cell preservation in freeze tolerant insects.

Proteomics of cryoprotective dehydration in Megaphorura arctica Tullberg 1876 (Onychiuridae: Collembola)

The Arctic springtail, Megaphorura arctica Tullberg 1876 (Onychiuridae: Collembola), is one of the few organisms known to survive the extreme stresses of its environment by using cryoprotective dehydration. We have undertaken a proteomics study comparing M. arctica, acclimated at -2°C, the temperature known to induce the production of the anhydroprotectant trehalose in this species, and -6°C, the temperature at which trehalose expression plateaus, against control animals acclimated at +5°C. Using difference gel electrophoresis, and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, we identified three categories of differentially expressed proteins with specific functions, up-regulated in both the -2°C and -6°C animals, that were involved in metabolism, membrane transport and protein folding. Proteins involved in cytoskeleton organisation were only up-regulated in the -6°C animals.

Gene expression, metabolic regulation and stress tolerance during diapause

Diapause entails molecular, physiological and morphological remodeling of living animals, culminating in a dormant state characterized by enhanced stress tolerance. Molecular mechanisms driving diapause resemble those responsible for biochemical processes in proliferating cells and include transcriptional, post-transcriptional and post-translational processes. The results are directed gene expression, differential mRNA and protein accumulation and protein modifications, including those that occur in response to changes in cellular redox potential. Biochemical pathways switch, metabolic products change and energy production is adjusted. Changes to biosynthetic activities result for example in the synthesis of molecular chaperones, late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins and protective coverings, all contributing to stress tolerance. The purpose of this review is to consider regulatory and mechanistic strategies that are potentially key to metabolic control and stress tolerance during diapause, while remembering that organisms undergoing diapause are as diverse as the processes itself. Some of the parameters described have well-established roles in diapause, whereas the evidence for others is cursory.

Isolation of diapause-regulated genes from the flesh fly, Sarcophaga crassipalpis by suppressive subtractive hybridization

Subtractive suppressive hybridization (SSH) was used to characterize the diapause transcriptome of the flesh fly Sarcophaga crassipalpis. Through these efforts, we isolated 97 unique clones which were used as probes in northern hybridization to assess their expression during diapause. Of these, 17 were confirmed to be diapause upregulated and 1 was diapause downregulated, while 12 were shown to be unaffected by diapause in this species. The diapause upregulated genes fall into several broad categories including heat shock proteins, heavy metal responsive genes, neuropeptides, structural genes, regulatory elements, and several genes of unknown function. In combination with other large-scale analyses of gene expression during diapause, this study assists in the characterization of the S. crassipalpis diapause transcriptome, and begins to identify common elements involved in diapause across diverse taxa.

Chaperonin contributes to cold hardiness of the onion maggot Delia antiqua through repression of depolymerization of actin at low temperatures

Winter-diapause and cold-acclimated non-diapause pupae of the onion maggot, Delia antiqua (Diptera: Anthomyiidae), show strong cold hardiness. To obtain insights into the mechanisms involved in the enhancement of cold hardiness, we investigated the expression patterns of genes encoding subunits of chaperonin (CCT) and the morphology of actin, a substrate of CCT, at low temperatures. Quantitative real-time PCR analyses showed the mRNA levels of CCT subunits in pupal tissues to be highly correlated with the cold hardiness of the pupae. While actin in the Malpighian tubules of non-cold-hardy pupae showed extensive depolymerization after a cold treatment, actin in the same tissue of cold-hardy pupae was not depolymerized. Damage to cell membranes became apparent after the depolymerization of actin. Moreover, administration of Latrunculin B, an inhibitor of actin polymerization, to the larvae markedly decreased the cold hardiness of the pupae obtained. These findings suggest that CCT contributes to the cold hardiness of D. antiqua through the repression of depolymerization of actin at low temperatures.

Rapid cold hardening elicits changes in brain protein profiles of the flesh fly, Sarcophaga crassipalpis

Rapid cold hardening (RCH) refers to the enhanced cold tolerance acquired by a brief exposure to a moderately low temperature. Although ecological aspects of this response have been well documented in insects, less is known about the physiological and biochemical mechanisms elicited by RCH. In this study we used two-dimensional electrophoresis to detect differences in brain protein abundance in pharate adults of the flesh fly Sarcophaga crassipalpis, in response to a 2 h RCH exposure at 0 degrees C. Fourteen high abundance proteins that responded to RCH were selected for mass spectrometric identification. Three proteins that increased in abundance during RCH included ATP synthase subunit alpha, a small heat shock protein (smHsp), and tropomyosin-1 isoforms 33/34. Eleven proteins that decreased in abundance or were missing following RCH included several proteins involved in energy metabolism, protein degradation, transcription, actin binding, and cytoskeleton organization. That several proteins increased in abundance during RCH underscores the dynamics of the RCH mechanism and suggests that more than one physiological response likely contribute to RCH. The increase in ATP synthase suggests an elevation of ATP during RCH, and the smHsp increase suggests that at least one of the Hsps is actually mobilized during RCH, rather than after RCH as previously assumed.

Upregulation of a desaturase is associated with the enhancement of cold hardiness in the onion maggot, Delia antiqua

Cold-acclimated non-diapause pupae, and summer- and winter-diapause pupae of the onion maggot, Delia antiqua (Diptera: Anthomyiidae), show marked cold hardiness as compared with intact non-diapause pupae. Homeoviscous adaptation of cellular membranes is crucial to enhance the cold hardiness of organisms, and Delta9-acyl-CoA desaturases have been assumed, albeit without experimental evidence in insects, to play a key role in the adaptation. We cloned the cDNA of a desaturase gene (Dadesat) from D. antiqua, which is most likely to encode Delta9-acyl-CoA desaturase. Expression of Dadesat mRNA in the brain, midgut, and Malpighian tubules of cold-acclimated and diapause pupae was upregulated 2-10 fold, correlating well with the increase in cold hardiness. In the pupae with enhanced cold hardiness, palmitoleic and oleic acids, the presumed products of Dadesat, in the phospholipids were significantly increased. These findings suggest that the increase in the expression of Dadesat contributes to enhanced cold hardiness in D. antiqua through the production of these unsaturated fatty acids.

Proteomic profiling of a parasitic wasp exposed to constant and fluctuating cold exposure

When insects are exposed to fluctuating thermal regimes (FTRs) (i.e., cold exposure alternating with periodic short pulses to high temperature), in contrast to constant low temperature (CLT), mortality due to accumulation of chill injuries is markedly reduced. To investigate the physiological processes behind the positive impact of FTR, based on a holistic approach, two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) analysis were performed with the parasitic wasp Aphidius colemani. Parasitoid proteomes revealed 369 well-distinguishable protein spots, where the overall response to cold exposure was clearly specific to treatments (CLT versus FTR). The reduced mortality under FTR was associated with up-regulation of several proteins playing key roles in energy metabolism (glycolysis, TCA cycle, synthesis and conversion of ATP), protein chaperoning (Hsp70/Hsp90), and protein degradation (proteasome). Our results also support the idea that cytoskeleton components, particularly actin arrangement, could play a role in the higher survival rates of insects under FTR.

Up-regulation of heat shock proteins is essential for cold survival during insect diapause

Diapause, the dormancy common to overwintering insects, evokes a unique pattern of gene expression. In the flesh fly, most, but not all, of the fly's heat shock proteins (Hsps) are up-regulated. The diapause up-regulated Hsps include two members of the Hsp70 family, one member of the Hsp60 family (TCP-1), at least four members of the small Hsp family, and a small Hsp pseudogene. Expression of an Hsp70 cognate, Hsc70, is uninfluenced by diapause, and Hsp90 is actually down-regulated during diapause, thus diapause differs from common stress responses that elicit synchronous up-regulation of all Hsps. Up-regulation of the Hsps begins at the onset of diapause, persists throughout the overwintering period, and ceases within hours after the fly receives the signal to reinitiate development. The up-regulation of Hsps appears to be common to diapause in species representing diverse insect orders including Diptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera as well as in diapauses that occur in different developmental stages (embryo, larva, pupa, adult). Suppressing expression of Hsp23 and Hsp70 in flies by using RNAi did not alter the decision to enter diapause or the duration of diapause, but it had a profound effect on the pupa's ability to survive low temperatures. We thus propose that up-regulation of Hsps during diapause is a major factor contributing to cold-hardiness of overwintering insects.

Cloning and Characterization of the HSP70 Gene, and Its Expression in Response to Diapauses and Thermal Stress in the Onion Maggot, Delia antiqua

The cytosolic members of the HSP70 family of proteins play key roles in the molecular chaperone machinery of the cell. In the study we cloned and sequenced the fulllength cDNA of Delia antiqua HSP70 gene, which is 2461 bp long and encodes 643 a.a. with a calculated molecular mass of 70,787 Da. We investigated gene copies of cytosolic HSP70 members of 4 insect species with complete genome available, and found that they are quite variable with species. In order to characterize this protein we carried out an alignment and a phylogenetic analysis with 41 complete protein sequences from insects. The analysis divided the cytosolic members of the family into two classes, HSP70 and HSC70, distinguishable on the basis of 15 residues. HSP70 class members were slightly shorter in length and smaller in molecular mass relative to the HSC70 class members, and the conservative and functional regions in these sequences were documented. Mainly, we investigated the expression of Delia antiqua HSP70 gene, in response to diapauses and thermal stresses. Both summer and winter diapauses elevated HSP70 transcript levels. Cold-stress led to increased HSP70 expression levels in summer- and winter-diapausing pupae, but heat-stress elevated the levels only in the winter-diapausing pupae. In all cases, the expression levels, after being elevated, gradually decreased with time. HSP70 expression was low in non-diapausing pupae but was up-regulated following cold- and heatstresses. Heat-stress gradually increased the mRNA level with time whereas cold-stress gradually decreased levels after an initial increase.

Control and regulation of the cellular responses to cold shock: the responses in yeast and mammalian systems

Although the cold-shock response has now been studied in a number of different organisms for several decades, it is only in the last few years that we have begun to understand the molecular mechanisms that govern adaptation to cold stress. Notably, all organisms from prokaryotes to plants and higher eukaryotes respond to cold shock in a comparatively similar manner. The general response of cells to cold stress is the elite and rapid overexpression of a small group of proteins, the so-called CSPs (cold-shock proteins). The most well characterized CSP is CspA, the major CSP expressed in Escherichia coli upon temperature downshift. More recently, a number of reports have shown that exposing yeast or mammalian cells to sub-physiological temperatures (<30 or <37 degrees C respectively) invokes a co-ordinated cellular response involving modulation of transcription, translation, metabolism, the cell cycle and the cell cytoskeleton. In the present review, we summarize the regulation and role of cold-shock genes and proteins in the adaptive response upon decreased temperature with particular reference to yeast and in vitro cultured mammalian cells. Finally, we present an integrated model for the co-ordinated responses required to maintain the viability and integrity of mammalian cells upon mild hypothermic cold shock.