HSP70 expression in the Copper butterfly Lycaena tityrus across altitudes and temperatures

The ability to express heat-shock proteins (HSP) under thermal stress is an essential mechanism for ectotherms to cope with unfavourable conditions. In this study, we investigate if Copper butterflies originating from different altitudes and/or being exposed to different rearing and induction temper...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of evolutionary biology 2009, Vol.22 (1), p.172-178
Main Authors: KARL, I, SØRENSEN, J.G, LOESCHCKE, V, FISCHER, K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
acclimation
Altitude
Animal populations
Animals
Butterflies & moths
Butterflies - metabolism
clinal variation
developmental plasticity
ELISA
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
Evolutionary biology
Female
Gene Expression Regulation - physiology
global warming
HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins - metabolism
Lycaena tityrus
Male
Stress
stress resistance
stress tolerance
Temperature
thermal adaptation
thermal stress
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Summary:The ability to express heat-shock proteins (HSP) under thermal stress is an essential mechanism for ectotherms to cope with unfavourable conditions. In this study, we investigate if Copper butterflies originating from different altitudes and/or being exposed to different rearing and induction temperatures show differences in HSP70 expression. HSP70 expression increased substantially at the higher rearing temperature in low-altitude butterflies, which might represent an adaptation to occasionally occurring heat spells. On the other hand, high-altitude butterflies showed much less plasticity in response to rearing temperatures, and overall seem to rely more on genetically fixed thermal stress resistance. Whether the latter indicates a higher vulnerability of high-altitude populations to global warming needs further investigation. HSP70 expression increased with both colder and warmer induction temperatures.
ISSN:1010-061X
1420-9101
DOI:10.1111/j.1420-9101.2008.01630.x