Recovery of protein synthesis after heat shock: prior heat treatment affects the ability of cells to translate mRNA.

Abstract

A mild heat shock of 35.degree. C, which induces heat shock gene expression, greatly enhances survival and the recovery of protein synthesis in Drosophila cells after a higher temperature heat shock. The 35.degree. C treatment is also effective in preventing heat-induced developmental defects in pupae. The major larval mRNA are present in approximately normal (25.degree. C) concentrations after a 40.1.degree. C heat shock whether or not the animals receive a pretreatment. This indicates that the pretreatment affects translation directly rather than messenger concentration. Selective translation of heat shock messages and some 25.degree. C messages during recovery from heat shock were observed.