EFFECTS OF EXTRACELLULAR CALCIUM-CONCENTRATION ON PROTEIN-SYNTHESIS IN AEDES-ALBOPICTUS CELLS

The influence of extracellular calcium concentration on mosquito cells was investigated in Aedes albopictus cells cultured in a medium with different amounts of calcium, Protein synthesis in cells incubated in low calcium culture medium was inhibited when compared to control cell s, This inhibition was reversed by addition of calcium to the culture medium. Two calcium-induced proteins of approximately 70,000 and 80,00 0 daltons were detected when calcium was added to the extracellular me dium of cells incubated in low calcium medium for longer than 2 h, Nor thern-blot analysis indicated that Hsp70 (heat shock protein of 70,000 dalton) specific mRNA is present in cells that were cultured in low c alcium medium suggesting that the 70,000 dalton protein is a member of the Hsp70 family, Our results indicate that extracellular calcium con centration can modify the gene expression pattern in A, albopictus cel ls and the absence of calcium in the culture medium could be considere d a stress factor, Arch, Insect Biochem, Physiol, 39:47-54, 1998, (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.