Heat shock proteins

Heat shock proteins are proteins synthesised by organisms in response to the sudden stress of a temperature rise, and they may be necessary for survival at high temperatures, acting as molecular chaperones that refold damaged proteins. They may also be produced in response to other stresses such as UV radiation or chemical exposure, and are likewise called stress proteins or heat stress proteins. In food microbiology they explain how pathogens survive marginal heat treatments and develop cross-protection against subsequent stresses, complicating thermal process design. In biotechnology they are exploited to improve the robustness of production strains.