Temporal expression of heat shock genes during cold stress and recovery from chill coma in adult Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

A common physiological response of organisms to environmental stresses is the increase in expression of heat shock proteins (Hsps). In insects, this process has been widely examined for heat stress, but the response to cold stress has been far less studied. In the present study, we focused on 11 Drosophila melanogaster Hsp genes during the stress exposure and recovery phases. The temporal gene expression of adults was analyzed during 9 h of cold stress at 0 °C and during 8 h of recovery at 25 °C. Increased expression of some, but not all, Hsp genes was elicited in response to cold stress. The transcriptional activity of Hsp genes was not modulated during the cold stress, and peaks of express..