Final answer:
Upon heat shock, bacterial cells are expected to show upregulation of heat shock genes as measured by RNA-seq, an important part of the cellular stress response to maintain protein homeostasis.
Step-by-step explanation:
When RNA-seq is performed before and after heat shock of bacterial cells, computer analysis would be expected to show: a) Upregulation of heat shock genes. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are part of a cellular stress response system and are crucial for helping proteins attain their functional conformation, especially under conditions that can lead to protein misfolding, such as elevated temperatures.
The increased expression of these genes following a heat shock event ensures that the cell has the necessary tools to cope with the increased load of misfolded proteins and to maintain homeostasis.
Technological advancements like RNA-seq allow for the precise measurement of changes in gene expression levels, which can be particularly insightful when studying cellular responses to stress, such as during a heat shock. This information helps us understand how organisms can adapt at the gene expression level to environmental changes and stresses.