Environmental Stress and Cellular Response in Arthropods

208pp  ISBN 0415328861      £69.00

• Provides an overview of all major stress defense systems and presents them as an integrated system
• Analyses various forms of stress and their effects at the molecular, biochemical, and physiological level
• Reviews cellular defense systems such as the stress-protein, oxidative stress response, the metallothionein, and the mixed function oxygenase systems on an individual basis
• Discusses the basal signal transduction system and the important role it plays in transducing intracellular stress signals
• Explores several hypotheses on the regulation of and induction of stress proteins, metallothioneins, and cytochrome P450 enzymes

While the subject of environmental stress in animals is broad, the available information is fragmentary and lacks an up-to-date overview and analysis. Environmental Stress and Cellular Response in Arthropods fills these knowledge gaps. Written by three experts from the same institution, the chapters have a consistency not often found in multi-authored or contributed books. The authors describe environmental stress in arthropods, specifically Drosophila and analyze the process in all its aspects, from biochemical mechanisms to effects on the whole organism.

Incorporating new information that has become available in recent years, the authors explore hypotheses about the integrated response these systems often have. They explore topics ranging from disturbance of homeostasis, changes in metabolic processes, damage of cellular structures to acquired tolerance, effects on aging processes, and survival and cell death. By analyzing all these aspects in detail at the molecular, biochemical, and physiological level of the cell, the authors give you a thorough look at the relationship between an organism and its environment at the cellular level.

Contents

INTRODUCTION
What is Stress?
Environmental Stressors
Stress Effects Disturbing Cellular Homeostasis
Stress Defense Systems and Their Response to Stress
Scope and Purpose of this Book

BASAL SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION SYSTEMS INVOLVED IN STRESS RESPONSE
Introduction
Two Major Second Messenger Systems: cAMP and Ca 2+
The MAPK Cascade

THE STRESS-PROTEIN SYSTEM
Introduction
Types, Structures, and Functions of Stress Proteins
Gene Expression, Posttranscriptional, and Translational Regulation of Stress Proteins

THE OXIDATIVE STRESS RESPONSE SYSTEM
Introduction
Cellular Response to Reactive Oxygen Species

THE METALLOTHIONEIN SYSTEM
Introduction
Properties and Types of Metallothionein
Regulation of Metallothionein
Heavy Metal Stress

THE MIXED-FUNCTION OXYGENASE SYSTEM
Introduction
Description of the Mixed-Function Oxygenase System
The Mixed-Function Oxygenase System in Insects
Degradation of Xenobiotics in Insects

THE ROLE OF CELLULAR RESPONSE SYSTEMS IN DEVELOPING TOLERANCE TO ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS
Introduction
Thermotolerance in Insect Species

THE EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS ON AGING AND CELL DEATH
Introduction
Effects of Environmental Stress on Aging
Cell Death by Environmental Stress

THE INTEGRATED CELLULAR STRESS DEFENSE SYSTEM
Introduction
Specific Characteristics of the Individual Systems
Important Stress Effects
Cooperation and Integration of Systems
The Central Hypothesis

SUMMARY
Abbreviations
References