PLOS One Retracts 2026 Paper on Heat Shock Factor 1 After Figure Integrity Concerns

PLOS One has retracted a research article titled “Transcription Regulation of HYPK by Heat Shock Factor 1,” citing concerns about the integrity and reliability of its published results. The retraction notice, published by the journal’s editors on October 20, 2026, details a series of problems identified in figures spanning the paper’s four main figure sets.

According to the notice, concerns were raised following publication about results presented in Figures 1 through 4. Several panels appeared similar despite being used to represent different experimental conditions. These included the left and right Fig 2D AcH4 panels, as well as the left Fig 2D RNA polymerase II panel, which appeared similar to the Fig 2C RNA polymerase II panel in a second article.

Other panels were found to partially overlap while representing different experimental conditions. The journal listed overlaps between the Fig 1C HYPK panel lanes 1–2 and the Fig 3C HYPK panel; the Fig 1G HYPK panel lanes 1–2 and the Fig 3G HYPK panel; the Fig 4C HSF1 panel lanes 2–3 and the Fig 6C HYPK panel lanes 1–2; and the Fig 4I Beta Actin panel lanes 2–3 and the Fig 6G Beta Actin panel.

In response to the concerns, the corresponding author stated that the panel similarities resulted from figure preparation errors. The author also stated that the original data underlying the published results were no longer available because of the time elapsed since the experiments were conducted. The author offered to repeat the experiments, but the journal determined that repeat experiment data would not be sufficient to resolve the concerns in the absence of the original data.

In light of these concerns, the PLOS One Editors retracted the article, stating that the issues call into question the integrity and reliability of the published results. All authors responded to the editorial inquiry but expressed neither agreement nor disagreement with the decision to retract.

The notice additionally reports that PLOS is aware of further concerns involving similarities between the right Fig 2D HSF1 panel in the retracted article and the right Fig 5D RNA polymerase II panel in a third article. The journal stated that these additional concerns were not investigated further.

Subject of Research: Retraction of a PLOS One article on transcription regulation of HYPK by Heat Shock Factor 1 due to figure integrity concerns

Article Title: Retraction: Transcription Regulation of HYPK by Heat Shock Factor 1

Article References: The PLOS One Editors (2026). Retraction: Transcription Regulation of HYPK by Heat Shock Factor 1. PLOS One, 21(10), e0360781. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0360781

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0360781

Keywords: PLOS One, retraction, Heat Shock Factor 1, HYPK, figure duplication, research integrity, transcription regulation, editorial decision, original data unavailable, corresponding author, Transcription, Regulation