InterPro domain: IPR027725

In eukaryotes heat shock factors (HSFs) induce transcription of heat shock genes following stress and in response to developmental signals [ 1 ]. HSFs recognise cis-acting promoter elements composed of variations of an inverted repeat called heat shock elements (HSE) [ 2 ]. Both HSF and HSEs are conserved in their fundamental structures from yeast to humans.

In general, HSFs contain an N-terminal DNA-binding domain of the helix-turn-winged helix type, one or more coiled-coil trimerisation domains, nuclear localisation domains, and a C-terminal trans-activation domain [ 3 ]. HSF is present in a latent state under normal conditions; it is activated upon heat stress by induction of trimerisation and high-affinity binding to DNA and by exposure of domains for transcriptional activity [ 4 ].

1. Heat shock factor function and regulation in response to cellular stress, growth, and differentiation signals. Gene Expr. 7, 271-82
2. Chromatin landscape dictates HSF binding to target DNA elements. PLoS Genet. 6, 1000-5
3. Roles of the heat shock transcription factors in regulation of the heat shock response and beyond. FASEB J. 15, 1118-31
4. Heat shock transcription factors: structure and regulation. Annu. Rev. Cell Dev. Biol. 11, 441-69