Heat shock proteins of the oyster parasite Perkinsus marinus

Abstract

The susceptibility of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica to infection by the protozoan parasite Perlunsus mannus is Influenced by temperature Because of the crucial roles of heat shock proteins in cellular thermal tolerance and in host-parasite adaptations in other species we compared the in vitro heat shock responses of cultured P mannusand of oyster hemocytes The parasite and host heat shock proteins were different in size and in ~mmunochemical specificlty In addit~on, the thermal threshold for induclng the iesponse was higher for P marinus acclimated to the same temperature as the oysters The results suggest that P marlnus is likely to employ heat shock proteins as part of ~t s adaptive survival repertoire and that ~t nlay b e able to function normally under conditions of hyperthermia that evoke an emergency physiological response from the oyster defense cells Furthermore, they indicate that ~t is feasible to Investigate the host's and parasite S a d a p t ~v e responses to each other, since the11 individual responses are readily d~stinguishable KEY WORDS Parasite Perkinsus m a n n u s . Oysters . Crassostrea virginica .