Thermotolerance and hsp70 heat shock response in the cold-stenothermal chironomid Pseudodiamesa branickii (NE Italy).

ABSTRACT: To better understand the physiological capability of cold-stenothermal organisms to survive high-temperature stress, we analyzed the thermotolerance limits and the expression level of hsp70 genes under temperature stress in the alpine midge Pseudodiamesa branickii (Diptera Chironomidae). A lethal temperature (LT(100)) of 36°C and a lethal temperature 50% (LT(50)) of 32.2°C were found for the cold-stenothermal larvae after short-term shocks (1 h). Additional experiments revealed that the duration of the exposure negatively influenced survival, whereas a prior exposure to a less severe high temperature generated an increase in survival. To investigate the molecular basis of this high thermotolerance, the expression of the hsp70 gene family was surveyed via semi-quantitative reverse transcrip

SUBMITTER: Bernabo P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3118828 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature