HSF1 (Heat Shock Factor 1; also HSTF 1) is a 67-75 kDa member of the HSF family of proteins. It is constitutively expressed and functions as a transcriptional activator under heat shock conditions. Normally, it exists as an inactive, monomeric member of the HSP multichaperone complex. Following stress, it dissociates from the complex, homotrimerizes, undergoes multiple phosphorylations, and translocates to the nucleus. Nuclear HSF1 is SUMOylated on Lys298 and binds to heat shock elements in select genes such as HSP70. Mouse HSF1 is 525 amino acids (aa) in length. It contains a DNA binding domain (aa 15-120), two hydrophobic oligomerization regions (aa 130-203 and 380-405), a regulatory domain (aa 221-310), and a transactivation domain (aa 367-525). There are at least 13 potential Ser/Thr phosphorylation sites. When highly phosphorylated, HSF1 appears to run at about 82-85 kDa in SDS-PAGE; when SUMOylated, it runs anomalously at around 170 kDa in SDS-PAGE. One splice variant exists that shows a deletion of aa 413-434. Over aa 124-247, mouse HSF1 shares 94% and 99% aa identity with human and rat HSF1, respectively.
R&D Systems位于美国的明尼苏达州,一直致力于生物制品的开发与生产。公司成立之初主要生产用于医院及临床应用的血控品。1997年,公司推出第一个产品--富血小板血浆质控品;1981年,公司成为全球第二家生产含血小板全血控品的供应商。40多年的发展中,R&D Systems仍持续开发各种血控品产品。
1985年,作为公司推出的第一个科研试剂产品,也是全球第一家将该产品进行商业化生产的产品,R&D Systems成功上市了TGF-beta1蛋白。作为胞外信号分子,TGF-beta1蛋白在多种细胞中进行表达,并作为胞外信号分子参与免疫功能,细胞增殖和细胞分化等生物学过程。该产品推出后,公司陆续从生物材料中纯化了几种细胞因子产品并推向市场。
天然蛋白类产品的成功推广,加速了R&D Systems在细胞因子市场的开拓。公司于1985年形成Growth Factor事业部(现Biotechnology事业部)。Biotechnology事业部的目标是生产和营销重组人细胞因子。与天然来源提取蛋白相比较,DNA重组技术生产的蛋白产品其成本更低,产量更高,完全摆脱原料的限制。1989年,Biotechnology事业部开始开发抗细胞因子的单克隆和多克隆抗体,并于1990年开发了第一个ELISA试剂盒。
2014年2月10日,R&D Systems的母公司宣布命名为Bio-Techne. Bio-Techne旗下包括R&D Systems, Novus Biologicals, BiosPacific, Tocris Bioscience, Boston Biochem和Bionostics。