Age-dependent heat shock hormesis to HSF-1 deficiency suggests a compensatory mechanism mediated by the unfolded protein response and innate immunity in young Caenorhabditis elegans

The goal of this RNA-Seq analysis was to identify genes differentially expressed in wild type (N2) and a hypomorphic mutant of the gene encoding heat shock factor 1 {hsf-1(sy441)} at normal conditions and upon heat shock. This study aimed to identify genes that are up- or downregulated when HSF-1 activity is impaired at 20 ºC. We also aimed to identify gene that are regulated by HSF-1 upon heat stress by comparing differentially expressed genes upon heat shock in wild type and in hsf-1(sy441) mutant background. Overall design: We found that thermotolerance of 1 day old adult hsf-1(sy441) mutants is increased compared to the wild type (N2). To identify genes which possibly contribute to this phenotype we performed an RNA-seq analysis of wild type [N2] and hsf-1(sy441) at 20 ºC and determined differentialy expressed genes in hsf-1(sy441) mutant compared to the wild type. To identify HSF-1 dependent transcriptional changes upon heat shock we performed an RNA-seq analysis of wild type [N2] and hsf-1(sy441) animals after heat shock at 35 ºC for 30 minutes.