Expression profiles of low molecular mass heat shock proteins by Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare

Closely related non-tuberculous mycobacterial species. Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare, were compared for the profiles of their p roduction of low molecular mass heat shock proteins at 45 degreesC, by perf orming polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of bacterial cell lysate proteins. All of the M. intracellulare but not M. avium strains potently i ncreased the production of the 18-kDa heat shock protein. when cultured at 45 degreesC. Half of the M. intracellulae strains with high sensitivity to 45 degreesC produced not only the 18-kDa heat shock protein but also the 16 -kDa heat shock protein at 45 degreesC. These findings indicate that M. avi um and M. intracellulare differentially respond to 45 degreesC heat shock i n terms of the production of low molecular mass heat shock proteins. (C) 20 01 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.