A MEMBER OF THE CLPB FAMILY OF STRESS PROTEINS IS EXPRESSED DURING HEAT-SHOCK IN LEISHMANIA SPP

We have identified and isolated the Leishmania major homologue to the bacterial ClpB gene and to the yeast Hsp104 gene. ClpB in Leishmania m ajor is a single-copy gene and encodes a low-abundance mRNA which is i nduced several-fold during a heat stress. We raised antibodies against the product of the recombinant gene and show that the leishmanial Clp B encodes a predominantly cytoplasmic protein of approx. 100 kDa which is detectable in Leishmania promastigotes of various species after ex posure to elevated temperatures. We, therefore, term this protein Hsp1 00.