Heat shock proteins in parasite biology: a review

The most abundant and highly conserved HSPs are the HSP70 family members. They are known to perform a range of vital cellular functions under stressed as well as in normal conditions to maintain the intracellular integrity and in adaptation and survival of the parasite within the hostile environment. In most of the parasitic infection, parasitein its life cycle undergoes an inevitable thermal shift during migration between vectors and hosts. This shift results in producing a significant heat shock response to which the parasite counteracts to protect itself from aberrant conditions. HSPs, as known to play an essential role as chaperon and its functions are also being explored in recent times for their role in immune response. This review is showing a detail study of HSPs in various parasitic infections.