Identification of genes regulated by knockdown of HSF1 or RPA1

Transcription factor access to regulatory elements is prevented by the nucleosome. Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) is a winged helix transcription factor that plays roles in control and stressed conditions by gaining access to target elements, but mechanisms of HSF1 access have not been well known in mammalian cells. We show a physical interaction between the wing motif of human HSF1 and replication protein A (RPA), which is involved in DNA metabolism. Depletion of RPA1 abolishes HSF1 access to the promoter of HSP70 in unstressed conditions, and delays its rapid activation in response to heat shock. The HSF1-RPA complex leads preloading of RNA polymerase II and opens chromatin structure by recruiting a histone chaperone FACT. Furthermore, this interaction is required for melanoma cell proliferation. These results provide a mechanistic basis for constitutive HSF1 access to nucleosomal DNA, which is important for both basal and inducible gene expression.

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Fujimoto M, Takaki E, Takii R, Tan K, Prakasam R, Hayashida N, Iemura S, Natsume T, Nakai A