The synthesis of cold shock proteins and cold acclimation proteins in the psychrophilic bacteriumAquaspirillum arcticum

Abstract

The synthesis of cold shock proteins (csps) in response to cold shock, and of cold acclimation proteins (caps) in response to continuous growth at low temperature, in the psychrophileAquaspirillum arcticum was investigated. With two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and computing scanning laser densitometry, cold shock treatments (10° to 0°C, 5° to 0°C, and 10° to 5°C) induced a total of 14 csps, 6 of which were induced by all three cold shocks. The production of caps in response to continuous growth at 0°C was also found. Five of the 8 caps produced were also csps which suggests that these proteins may share a common involvement in cold adaptation.