Heat-resistant variants of Chinese hamster fibroblasts altered in expression of heat shock protein.

Heat-resistant variants of the Chinese hamster HA-1 line have been isolated after repeated heat treatments. The heat-resistant phenotype has been stable for over 70 passages. One of the members of the 70-kDa heat shock protein family was found to be synthesized at greater levels in the heat-resistant variants under normal growth conditions. Mild heat treatment of the variant lines induced a transient thermotolerance that was accompanied by additional increase in the synthesis of the 70-kDa heat shock proteins. Cell-free translation of total cellular RNA revealed greater amounts of 70-kDa heat shock protein mRNA in both control and heated variant cells. The greater levels of 70-kDa heat shock protein synthesized in the variant cells presumably are a reflection of altered levels of its messenger mRNA. In addition, we found that translational control plays a role in the elevated expression of heat shock proteins in heat-shocked HA-1 cells and their heat-resistant variants. The association of the heat-resistant phenotype with increased levels of a 70-kDa heat shock protein suggests strongly that this gene product plays a role in protecting cells from damage inflicted by elevated temperatures.