PARP1 promotes the human heat shock response by facilitating HSF1 binding to DNA
The heat shock response (HSR) is characterized by the rapid and robust induction of heat shock proteins (HSPs), including HSP70, in response to heat shock, and is regulated by heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) in mammalian cells. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1), which can form a complex with HSF1 through the scaffold protein PARP13, has been suggested to be involved in the HSR. However, its effects on and regulatory mechanisms of the HSR are not well understood. Here, we show that prior to heat shock the HSF1-PARP13-PARP1 complex binds to HSP70 promoter. In response to heat shock, activated and auto-PARylated PARP1 dissociates from HSF1-PARP13 and redistributes throughout HSP70 locus. Remarkably, chromatin in HSP70 promoter is initially PARylated at high levels and decondensed, whereas that in the gene body is moderately PARylated afterwards. Activated HSF1 then binds to the promoter efficiently, and promotes the HSR. Chromatin PARylation and HSF1 binding to the promoter are also facilitated by phosphorylation-dependent dissociation of PARP13. Furthermore, the HSR and proteostasis capacity are reduced by pretreatment with genotoxic stresses, which disrupt the ternary complex. These results provide one of the priming mechanisms of the HSR that facilitates HSF1 binding to DNA during heat shock.