[Molecular mechanisms of adaptation to hyperthermia in higher organisms. III. Induction of heat-shock proteins in two Leishmania species].

The heat-shock proteins (hsp) induction in two species of Leishmania have been investigated. The species studied are parasites of two species of lizards (Lymnodactylus caspins and Agama caucasica) differing by temperature of correspondent ecological niche. Our results show that Leishmania species restricted to high-temperature host (Agama) is capable to synthesize its proteins at extreme temperatures (38, 40 degrees C) with greater intensity. Moreover, the species of Leishmania studied differed by heat-shock proteins pattern, the intensive synthesis of hsp88 and hsp48 being the characteristic features of Leishmania species, restricted to the high-temperature host.