Constitutive expression of human hsp27 resulted in a 100‐fold increase in survival to a single lethal heat shock in CHO cells without effecting the development of thermotolerance. A possible mechanism for the thermoprotective function of hsp27 may be increased recovery of protein synthesis and RNA synthesis following a heat shock. A lethal heat shock (44°C, 30 min) results in a 90% reduction in the rate of protein synthesis in non‐tolerant cells. Control transfected cells recovered protein synthesis to a pre‐heat shock rate 10 h after the heat shock; while cell lines that constitutively express human hsp27 recovered 6 h after the heat shock. Thermotolerant cells had a 50% reduction in protein synthesis, which recovered within 7 h following the heat shock. The same lethal heat shock (44°C, 30 min) reduced RNA synthesis by 60% in the transfected cell lines, with the controls recovering in 7 h; while the hsp27 expressing cell lines recovered within 5 h. Thermotolerant cells had a 40% reduction in RNA synthesis and were able to recover within 4 h. The enhanced ability of hsp27 to facilitate recovery of protein synthesis and RNA synthesis following a heat shock may provide the cell with a survival advantage. J. Cell. Biochem. 66:153–164, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss Inc.