Heat shock selectively inhibits ribosomal RNA gene transcription and down-regulates E1BF/Ku in mouse lymphosarcoma cells.

The effect of heat shock on RNA polymerase I (pol I)-directed transcription of the rRNA gene was studied in S-100 extract derived from mouse lymphosarcoma cells, and by in vivo labelling of rRNA. Exposure of cells to 42 degrees C for 2 h resulted in complete inhibition of rRNA synthesis in vivo. Pol I transcription was inhibited by 50% within 2 h of heat shock and was abolished after 3 h exposure at 42 degrees C. Under this condition, the core-promoter-binding activity of the factor (CPBF) that modulates pol I transcription was unaffected. In contrast, the promoter-binding activity of enhancer-1-binding factor, a protein related to the Ku autoantigen, which is involved in pol I transcription initiation, was reduced by 50 and 90% after 2 and 3 h of heat shock respectively. Western-blot analysis with antibodies specific for the two subunits of Ku protein showed the absence of p72 subunit after 3 h of heat shock. Under this condition, pol II transcription from the adenovirus major late promoter and pol III transcription of 5 S RNA gene remained unaffected. Mixing experiments ruled out the possibility that the inhibition of transcription was due to activation of nucleases or other inhibitors. This is the first report to show selective down-regulation of pol I transcription in vitro by heat shock and of the potential involvement of a pol I transcription factor in this process.