Transcription factors enable cells to adapt to changing conditions by regulating distinct sets of genes. HSF-1 is best known for activating the heat shock response, but it also contributes to metabolic regulation and other physiological processes. How its association with different target promoters changes with cellular state remains an important question.
In this project, we investigate HSF-1 promoter occupancy in Caenorhabditis elegans during starvation, heat stress and aging. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation and gene expression analyses, we compare its association with promoters involved in protein homeostasis and metabolic regulation. We also examine how SIR-2.1 and the acetyltransferase CBP-1 influence these patterns. Our aim is to understand how HSF-1 target selection is regulated and how its changes contribute to age-dependent alterations in stress responses and metabolism.
Responsible: Milán Somogyvári