Cold-Shock Injury and Rapid Cold Hardening in the Flesh Fly Sarcophaga crassipalpis

Abstract

Direct exposure to-10 C, in the absence of tissue freezing, causes high mortality in Sarcophaga crassipalpis: this result suggests that injury is due to cold shock. However, brief acclimation at 0 C enables larvae, pupae, and pharate adults of Sarcophaga crassipalpis to survive-10 C. Chilling for as short a period as 10 min enabled 50% of the flies to survive a 2-h exposure to-10 C. Enhancement of cold tolerance was linear over the first hour of chilling at 0 C. The optimal temperature range eliciting the rapid acclimation response was 6-0 C, but the effect could also be stimulated by high temperature (36 C). The rapid increase in cold tolerance correlates with concomitant increases in hemolymph osmolality and glycerol levels. This response suggests a novel role for glycerol in protecting insects against injury resulting from cold shock, although other unidentified mechanisms may be involved in this response. That both nondiapause-and diapause-programmed flies respond to short-term chilling indicates that this rapid response is not part of the diapause syndrome but probably functions in either type of fly as an adaptation to survive brief periods of low temperature.

Changes in nuclear phenotypes following cold shock in Panstrongylus megistus (Burmeister)

“…Even so, more than 50% of the P. megistus nymphs at different developmental phases survive for at least one month after a short cold shock (Garcia et al 1999b). While cryoprotectants are unknown in these insects, it is hypothesized that heat shock proteins (hsp) confer a certain amount of protection to P. megistus against cold in a similar way to that reported for some other insect species (Chen et al 1987, Burton et al 1988, Komatsu et al 1996. Indeed, cold tolerance may be induced in P. megistus (Garcia et al 1999a).…”

Effects of cold acclimation, cooling rate and heat stress on cold tolerance of the potato tuber moth Phthorimaea operculella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

“…When organisms are exposed to a variety of stresses such as heat, cold, toxic gases and various substances, they synthesize a small set of proteins called heat shock proteins (HSPs), which are able to increase cold hardiness of animals (Sorensen et al, 2003). It is known that HSP can increase cold hardiness in many insects (Chen et al, 1987;Denlinger et al, 1991;Krebs & Feder, 1998).…”

Survival and Molting Incidence after Heat and Cold Shocks in Panstrongylus megistus Burmeister

“…Based on data for other insect species, it is hypothesized that hsp synthesis may also be engaged in a certain protection of P. megistus organism against protein abnormalities resulting from the cold shock, mainly when it did not extend for very long periods of time and affected fully nourished specimens (Chen et al 1987, Burton et al 1988, Komatsu et al 1996.…”