ABSTRACT
All organisms are exposed to proteotoxic stresses that result in the accumulation of misfolded proteins. In response to these stresses cells have evolved adaptive responses to protect and stabilize cellular proteins until more favorable conditions for cell proliferation are encountered [1]. The heat shock transcription factor, HSF, is a homotrimeric transcription factor that activates gene expression in response to a variety of stresses including heat and oxidative stress, as well as inflammation and infection [2]. Recent evidence has shown that the S. cerevisiae HSF directly activates the expression of genes whose protein products are involved in protein folding and degradation, ion transport, signal transduction, energy generation, carbohydrate metabolism, vesicular transport, cytoskeleton formation and other cellular functions [3].
