heat-shock protein

noun

Definition of heat-shock protein

: any of a group of molecular chaperones (see chaperone entry 1 sense 3) that are produced especially in cells subjected to stressful conditions (such as high temperature) and that serve to stabilize proteins and ensure proper assembly and folding of proteins

Examples of heat-shock protein in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Diminished expression of heat-shock protein genes in humans could raise the risk of illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s disease, in which the misfolding of proteins is implicated, the researchers report in their paper. — Ingrid Wickelgren, Scientific American, 22 Mar. 2022

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'heat-shock protein.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Learn More About heat-shock protein

Dictionary Entries Near heat-shock protein

heat shield

heat-shock protein

heat sink

Statistics for heat-shock protein

Cite this Entry

“Heat-shock protein.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heat-shock%20protein. Accessed 10 Aug. 2022.

Style: MLA

MLA

Chicago

APA

Merriam-Webster Check Mark Icon

More Definitions for heat-shock protein

heat shock protein

noun

variants: or heat-shock protein

Medical Definition of heat shock protein

: any of a group of molecular chaperones that are produced especially in cells subjected to stressful conditions (such as high temperature or changes in pH) and that serve to stabilize proteins and ensure proper assembly and folding of proteins Normally, heat-shock proteins protect other proteins inside a cell from being damaged by extreme heat or other stress.— Nathan Seppa, Science News