1. The heat shock response in Polistes spp. brood from differing climates following heat stress.
- Author
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Amstrup, A.B., Kovac, H., Käfer, H., Stabentheiner, A., and Sørensen, J.G.
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PHYSIOLOGICAL effects of heat , *HEAT shock proteins , *HEAT adaptation , *BODY temperature , *PHYSIOLOGY , *THERMAL stresses , *MEDITERRANEAN climate - Abstract
[Display omitted] • Molecularly adapted: Paper wasps inhabit extremely variable thermal environments. • Normal cellular function: Hsc70 and Hsp83 appear important under benign conditions. • Stress response: Hsp70 and Hsp83 expression is highly induced by severe heat stress. • Development: Expression of Heat Shock Proteins varied between life stages. • Environmental adaptation: Use of the Heat Shock Response differ between populations. Temperature is a crucial factor in many physiological processes, especially in small ectotherms whose body temperature is highly influenced by ambient temperature. Polistes (paper wasps) is a genus of primitively eusocial wasps found in widely varying thermal environments throughout the world. Paper wasps construct open-faced combs in which the brood is exposed to varying ambient temperatures. The Heat Shock Response is a physiological mechanism that has been shown to help cope with thermal stress. We investigated the expression of heat shock proteins in different life stages of three species of Polistes from different climates with the aim of deducing adaptive patterns. This was done by assaying heat shock protein (hsp70 , hsp83 , hsc70) expression during control conditions (25 °C) or a heat insult (35 or 45 °C) in individuals collected from natural populations in Alpine, Temperate, or Mediterranean climates. Basal expression of hsc70 and hsp83 was found to be high, while hsp70 and hsp83 expression was found to be highly responsive to severe heat stress. As expression levels varied based on species, geographical origin, and life stage as well as between heat shock proteins, the Heat Shock Response of Polistes was found to be complex. The results suggest that adaptive utilization of the heat shock response contributes to the ability of Polistes spp. to inhabit widely different thermal environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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