Induction of heat, freezing and salt tolerance by heat and salt shock in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Stress tolerance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was examined after exposure to heat and salt shock in the presence or absence of the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide. Cells heat-shocked (37 degrees C for 45 min) in the absence of cycloheximide demonstrated increased tolerance of heat, freezing and salt stress. For cells heat-shocked in the presence of cycloheximide, heat and salt tolerance could still be induced, although at lower levels, while induction of freezing tolerance was completely inhibited. These results indicated that while heat shock proteins (hsps) may contribute to induced heat and salt tolerance they are not essential, although induction of freezing tolerance appears to require protein synthesis. Exposure of cells to salt shock (300 mM NaCl for 45 min) induced stress protein synthesis and the accumulation of glycerol, responses analogous to induction of hsp synthesis and trehalose accumulation in cells exposed to heat shock. Cells salt-shocked in the absence of cycloheximide showed a similar pattern of induced stress tolerance as with heat, with increased tolerance of heat, salt and freezing. Cells salt-shocked in the presence of cycloheximide continued to show induced heat and salt tolerance, but freezing tolerance could not be induced. These results lend support to the hypothesis that hsp synthesis is not essential for induced tolerance of some forms of stress and that accumulated solutes such as trehalose or glycerol may contribute to induced stress tolerance.