Canonical heat shock element in the alpha B-crystallin gene shows tissue-specific and developmentally controlled interactions with heat shock factor

Oligomerization of the heat shock factor (HSF) and its interaction with the heat shock element (HSE) are the hallmark of active transcriptional respon se to tangible physical or chemical stress. It is unknown if these interact ions are subject to control and modulation by developmental cues and thus h ave tissue or stage specificity. By using promoter sequences containing a c anonical HSE from the alpha B-crystallin gene, we demonstrate a tissue-spec ific transition from monomeric (in fetal and early neonatal stages that lac k oligomeric HSF.HSE complexes) to oligomeric HSF-HSE interactions by postn atal day 10-21 in the ocular lens. Developmental control of these interacti ons is further demonstrated by induction of oligomeric HSF.HSE complexes in neonatal extracts by in vitro manipulations, interestingly, only in the le ns and not in the brain, heart, or liver extracts. The exclusive presence o f oligomeric HSF HSE complexes in the postnatal/adult lens corresponds to k nown highly increased number of alpha B-crystallin transcripts in this tiss ue.