Elevated levels of 70,000 dalton heat shock protein in transiently thermotolerant Chinese hamster fibroblasts and in their stable heat resistant variants.

The function of one or more shock proteins (HSPs) may be to confer protection of cells against thermal damage. The quantitative relationship between heat sensitivity and concentration of several HSPs was examined in thermotolerant Chinese hamster HA-1 cells and in their heat-resistant variants. Low molecular weight HSPs (22-27 kd) showed no correlation with cell survival. The best correlation was found between concentration of 70 kd HSP and the logarithm of cell survival. There was no difference between the HSP 70 induced by heat shock and that present in a constitutive form. The 70 kd HSP may actually confer heat resistance on cells, but in any case HSP 70 appeared to be the best predictor of heat response.