Free Access
Issue |
Apidologie
Volume 31, Number 4, July-August 2000
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Page(s) | 487 - 501 | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:2000141 |
DOI: 10.1051/apido:2000141
Apidologie 31 (2000) 487-501
Induction of heat shock proteins in the larval fat body of Apis mellifera L. bees
Virginia Maria Lopes Chacon-Almeidaa - Zilá Luz Paulino Simõesb - Márcia Maria Gentile Bitondib
aDepartamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto,
Universidade de São Paulo, 14049-900 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
bDepartamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto,
Universidade de São Paulo, 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
(
Abstract:
Five proteins were expressed in larval honey bee fat bod incubated in vitro in response to
heat shock, as shown by SDS-PAGE and fluorography. The large heat shock proteins (82, 70
kDa) were inducible throughout the 5th instar whereas the small ones (29, 26, 16 kDa) were
inducible only in certain phases of this instar. The synthesis of these HSPs was accompanied
by generalized inhibition of overall protein synthesis and secretion in the culture medium.
Fluorograms showed that the 76 and 74 kDa proteins were strongly inhibited by heat
treatment. Western blots using a mouse monoclonal antibody against HSP72 and HSC73 permitted
the inference that the 70 kDa larval protein accumulated in the honey bee fat body in
response to heat shock corresponds to the HSP72 isoform. The Western blots also showed a 70
kDa faint band in fat bodies incubated at the control temperature (34
C). This protein,
also detected in incubation media independently of the temperature used, was interpreted as
being the constitutively synthesized and secreted HSC73 isoform.

Keywords:
heat shock proteins / HSP70 / Apis mellifera / fat body
Correspondence and reprints: Zilá Luz Paulino Simões
E-mail: zlpsimoe@usp.br
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