ELWOOD, J.R.L.*; SPOTILA, J.R.; Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA; Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA: Tissue level hsp70 varies in laboratory acclimated and field acclimatized salamanders along geographic and climatic gradients

Tissues from salamanders representing twelve populations of the Plethodon glutinosus complex varied in hsp70 levels measured using ELISA. We selected populations along both geographic and climatic gradients. Liver, muscle and gut tissue levels of hsp70 were compared between field acclimatized, laboratory acclimated, heat shocked, and non-heat shocked animals. We report a significant amount of variation in hsp70 levels among different salamander tissues as detected by ELISA. No significant differences in tissue hsp70 levels were detected between non-heat shocked and heat shocked groups. The lack of a significantly detectable difference between non-heat shocked and heat shocked tissues indicated that synthesis of the inducible form of hsp70 was minimal in these salamanders. Tissues instead appeared to have relatively high levels of the constitutive form of hsp70. These constitutive levels of hsp70 were significantly higher in tissues obtained from salamanders taken directly from the field as compared to laboratory acclimated salamanders at either 15° or 25°C. Laboratory acclimated salamanders had constitutive levels of liver hsp70 that were positively influenced by acclimation temperature. Field acclimatized salamanders had tissue levels of hsp70 that were negatively related to the climatic variables but were positively related to geographic variables. There were no significant differences between tissue levels of hsp70 from laboratory acclimated salamanders related to any of the geographic or climatic variables.