MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY ELISA TEST INDICATES THAT LARGE AMOUNTS OF CONSTITUTIVE HSP-70 ARE PRESENT IN SALAMANDERS, TURTLE AND FISH

1. We purified hsp-70 from salamander, Plethodon cinereus, and established mouse myeloma-B lymphocyte hybridoma cell lines to produce monoclonal antibodies against hsp-70 2. An ELISA test using the monoclonal antibody allows rapid quantification of hsp-70 from tissue homogenates from large numbers of animals. 3. Salamanders (P. cinereus, Eurycea bislineata, Desmognathus ochrophaeus, Ambystoma talpoidium), turtle (Trachemys scripta) and fish (Fundulus heteroclitus, Pimephales promelas) contain large amounts of constitutive hsp-70 and a small but consistent increase in hsp-70 within 1 h of heat shock. 4. ELISA test indicates that there is considerable variation in hsp-70 level among individuals of a species. 5. Constitutive hsp-70 is present at normal ecological temperatures and additional hsp-70 is induced at temperatures as low as 25 degrees C in A. talpoideum.