Heat-Shock Proteins: a Search for Functions

Abstract

Heat-shock proteins (hsps) are synthesised in response to increased growing temperature and are thought to result in the acquisition of thermotolerance to otherwise nonpermissive temperatures. This phenomenon, called the heat-shock response (HSR), is conserved among all biological organisms. While much information is available on the regulation of heat-shock genes and the synthesis of hsps, comparatively little is known of hsp functions in cells. The current thinking is that hsps provide the molecular basis for thermotolerance although there is limited evidence to support this view. Research in our laboratory is focused on the characterisation of hsps that function in signal transduction including protein kinases and heat-shock-induced calmodulin-binding proteins. Such enzymes and proteins are likely to be involved in key regulatory mechanisms that operate during the HSR and may help to identify specific functions for HSPs.