| abstract |
This invention relates to the identification, isolation, purification and manipulation of genetic stress response systems, and more particularly, to genes and expression products of those genes that are components of those systems. These components may be used to protect against potentially toxic stress factors. Stress factors include heat, alcohol and heavy metal ions. A family of stress protector proteins with apparent molecular weights about 100 kd, the hsp100 proteins, are an aspect of this invention. Other stress protector proteins are also within the scope of this invention to enhance or inhibit biological stress response. Applications of this invention to recombinant DNA technology, to commercial methods of food preparation and processing, and to methods of enhancing the stress response of plants and animals, are presented. |