Genomic Targets of Drosophila Heat Shock Factor

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All organisms respond to elevated temperatures and other forms of stress by inducing the transcription of genes known as the heat shock (hs) genes that encode heat shock proteins (hsps). During normal and stressed conditions, the highly conserved hsps and their cognate proteins have essential functions in helping proteins fold properly, acting as protein "chaperones". Hsps are also known to have direct and important functions in a number of diseases and pathophysiological states. Stress induced transcription of the hs genes is mediated by a specific transcription factor(s) known as heat shock factor(s) (HSF) which upon stress, is converted to an active form that binds the promoters of hs genes. HSF has also been shown to have important roles in development and tumorigenesis. A major question we hope to address is- Does HSF have any other genomic targets and/or roles in the cell besides the induction of the well known hs genes during stress? We will answer this by accomplishing the following specific aims. Specific Aim 1- To determine if and how HSF represses the transcription of non-hs genes in Drosophila during stress. Specific Aim 2- To determine the role of HSF in the transcription of non-hs genes during normal Drosophila development. We believe the projects outlined will identify new genes regulated by HSF and give insights into HSF function and regulation. This work will provide a comprehensive functional genomic look at a vital biological response that is found in all organisms.