Molecular chaperone protection during hypometabolism induced by estivation.

GIRAUD BILLOUD, M; VEGA, IA; RINALDI-TOSSI, MARTÍN E.; CALDERÓN, ML; CASTRO-VAZQUEZ, A

San Luis

Congreso; XXX Reunión Anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo.; 2012

Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo

The invasive Pomacea canaliculata uses estivation as an adaptive strategy to survive prolonged periods of drought. Estivation involves a decrease in metabolic rate and requires defense mechanisms to cope with the harmful effects of reoxygenation that will occur during arousal from this state. We studied by Western Blot the expression of heat shock proteins (Hsc70, Hsp70 and Hsp90) in (1) active control snails, (2) snails after 45 days of estivation, and (3) aroused snails 20 min and (4) 24 h after water exposure, in both kidney and foot. Hsc70 and Hsp70 kidney levels were stable during the activity-estivation cycle and Hsp90 expression decrease during estivation and recovers in the early arousal. In the foot, the expression of Hsp70 and Hsp90 was high during the activity and estivation periods and diminished after arousal. Both families of Hsps may have an essential role during the activity-estivation cycle, since they may act as molecular chaperones during estivation, by protecting the existing proteome, and thus ensuring a long term metabolic stability. Additionally, Hsp90 may participate in the control of metabolic changes during arousal.