The heat-shock response is elicited by exposure of cells to thermal and chemical stress and through the activation of HSFs (heat shock factors) results in the elevated expression of heat-shock induced genes. Heat shock factor binding protein 1 (HSBP1), is a 76-amino-acid protein that binds to heat shock factor 1(HSF1), which is a transcription factor involved in the HS response. During HS response, HSF1 undergoes conformational transition from an inert non-DNA-binding monomer to active functional trimers. HSBP1 is nuclear-localized and interacts with the active trimeric state of HSF1 to negatively regulate HSF1 DNA-binding activity. Overexpression of HSBP1 in mammalian cells represses the transactivation activity of HSF1. When overexpressed in C.elegans HSBP1 has severe effects on survival of the animals after thermal and chemical stress consistent with a role of HSBP1 as a negative regulator of heat shock response. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008].