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Strap: a versatile transcription co-factor
Danmei Xu1, Nicholas B La Thangue
1Dept of Clinical Pharmacology, Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Cell Cycle (Georgetown, Tex.)
|August 23, 2008
Summary
Stress-responsive activator of p300 (Strap) is crucial for cellular survival under heat shock. This transcription co-factor regulates heat-shock genes by controlling chromatin acetylation and HSF1 binding, essential for stress response.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Cellular Stress Response
Background:
- The Stress-responsive activator of p300 (Strap) is a known transcription co-factor involved in DNA damage response.
- Emerging evidence suggests Strap has a broader role in cellular stress regulation, including response to heat shock.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of Strap in the cellular response to heat shock.
- To elucidate the mechanism by which Strap regulates heat-shock-responsive transcription.
Main Methods:
- Investigated the induction of Strap by heat shock.
- Analyzed the assembly of a chromatin-associated complex involving heat-shock factor 1 (HSF1), Strap, and p300 on the HSP70 gene promoter.
- Assessed the effect of Strap depletion on cell survival under heat shock conditions.
Main Results:
- Strap is inducible by heat shock and stimulates the transcription of heat-shock genes.
- A complex of HSF1, Strap, and p300 assembles on the HSP70 promoter.
- Strap enhances HSF1 binding and chromatin acetylation in HSP genes, likely by recruiting p300.
- Cells depleted of Strap do not survive heat shock.
Conclusions:
- Strap is an essential co-factor for regulating heat-shock-responsive transcription at the chromatin level.
- Strap plays a critical role in cellular adaptation and survival under heat stress.
- Transcription co-factors are central to integrating diverse cellular stress response pathways.
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