Abstract
Mild heat stress promotes thermotolerance and protection against several different stresses in aquatic animals, consequences correlated with the accumulation of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70). The purpose of this study was to determine if non-lethal heat shock (NLHS) of the Asian green mussel, Perna viridis, an aquatic species of commercial value, promoted the production of Hsp70 and enhanced its resistance to stresses. Initially, the LT50 and LHT for P. viridis were determined to be 42°C and 44°C, respectively, with no heat shock induced death of mussels at 40°C or less. Immunoprobing of western blots revealed augmentation of constitutive (PvHsp70-1) and inducible (PvHsp70-2) Hsp70 in tissue from adductor muscle, foot, gill and mantel of P. viridis exposed to 38°C for 30 min followed by 6 h recovery, NLHS conditions for this organism. Characterization by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) revealed that PvHsp70-1 and PvHsp70-2 respectively corresponded most closely to Hsp70 from P. viridis and Mytilus galloprovincialis. Priming of adult mussels with NLHS promoted thermotolerance and increased resistance to V. alginolyticus. The induction of Hsp70 in parallel with enhanced thermotolerance and improved protection against V. alginolyticus, suggests Hsp70 functions in P. viridis as a molecular chaperone and as a stimulator of the immune system.
Highlights
Aquatic organisms experience environmental stresses including temperature fluctuation, salinity shift, oxygen deprivation and pollution [1,2,3] as well as disease-causing biotic stressors such as bacteria, virus, fungi and parasites [4]
The synthesis of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), the best studied stress protein, is induced in aquatic animals by heat stress [25, 4, 26] and in this work immunoprobing of western blots revealed that two Hsp70 isotypes increased in P. viridis after Non-lethal heat shock (NLHS)
PvHsp70-1 was observed in mussel tissues before heat shock indicating that it was produced constitutively, whereas PvHsp70-2 was not apparent until recovery after NLHS at temperatures favourable for growth, observations similar to those for other aquatic organisms exposed to heat perturbation [9]
Summary
Aquatic organisms experience environmental stresses including temperature fluctuation, salinity shift, oxygen deprivation and pollution [1,2,3] as well as disease-causing biotic stressors such as bacteria, virus, fungi and parasites [4]. Protective effects of Hsp in the Asian green mussel, P. viridis [6], involves the synthesis of heat shock proteins (Hsps) which, by molecular chaperone activity facilitate the proper folding of nascent proteins, prevent stress-induced irreversible protein denaturation and mediate storage and refolding of partially denatured protein [4]. Hsps appear to stimulate the innate immune response of aquatic organisms thereby shielding cells against injury due to pathogens and making them more tolerant of disease and infection [7]. Non-lethal heat shock (NLHS) is an effective method to protect aquatic organisms against stress, an outcome often associated with increased Hsp accumulation [7, 5]. The concurrent induction of heat tolerance, resistance to bacterial infection and Hsp synthesis, suggests a role for Hsp in mediating the effects of stress perhaps via chaperoning and/or immune activation [12, 1, 4]
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