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. 1996 Dec;16(12):7018–7030. doi: 10.1128/mcb.16.12.7018

Regulation of Drosophila heat shock factor trimerization: global sequence requirements and independence of nuclear localization.

A Orosz 1, J Wisniewski 1, C Wu 1
PMCID: PMC231705  PMID: 8943357

Abstract

Heat shock transcription factor (HSF) is a multidomain protein that exists as a monomer under normal conditions and is reversibly induced upon heat shock to a trimeric state that binds to DNA with high affinity. The maintenance of the monomeric state is dependent on hydrophobic heptad repeats located at the amino- and carboxy-terminal regions which have been proposed to form an intramolecular coiled-coil structure. In a systematic deletion analysis to identify other regions of HSF that may be required to regulate its oligomeric state, we have found that local sequences encompassing the carboxy-terminal end of the DNA binding domain and a broad region of HSF between the heptad repeats also contribute to this regulation. Immunocytochemical analysis of mutant HSF proteins revealed a canonical motif required for nuclear localization. HSF proteins lacking the nuclear localization signal remain in the cytoplasm, but these HSFs nonetheless exhibit reversible heat stress-inducible trimerization. The results indicate that the signals that regulate HSF trimerization operate in both the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments of the cell.

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Selected References

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