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In mouse cells, the major inducible heat shock protein is a protein of 68,000 daltons (hsp68). We have previously shown that mouse plasmacytomas do not express hsp68. We have now made use of these natural mutants to assess the contribution of hsp68 to acquired thermotolerance. An endpoint limiting dilution assay was used to quantify cell survival to lethal stresses. Two test plasmacytoma cell lines (C1.18.1 and J558) and an hsp68-positive myeloma, XC1.1/51, used as a control, were examined. All showed recovery when pretreated for 10 min at 44 degrees C 2 h before exposure to otherwise lethal stresses of 1 to 4 h at 43 degrees C. Similar results were obtained with the Friend erythroleukemia line D1B, which we have also shown not to express hsp68. These results indicate that hsp68 is not required for protection against thermal stresses in mouse cells.

The major heat shock gene coding for a 68,000-dalton protein was found to be silent in mouse plasmacytoma MPC-11 in both control and stressed cells. The block appears to be at the level of transcription, although RNA processing or instability has not been ruled out. It is not caused by a major deletion or rearrangement of the gene.