Turbulent heat transfer to $CO_2$ at supercritical pressure flowing in vertical tubes is investigated using direct numerical simulation (DNS). A conservative space-time discretization scheme for variable-density flows at low Mach numbers is adopted in the present study to treat steep variations of fluid properties at supercritical pressure just above the thermodynamic critical point. The fluid properties at these conditions are obtained using PROPATH and used in the form of tables in the simulations. The buoyancy influence induced by strong variation of density across the pseudo-critical temperature proved to play a major role in turbulent heat transfer at supercritical state. Depending on the degree of buoyancy influence, turbulent heat transfer may be enhanced or significantly deteriorated, resulting in local hot spots along the heated surface. Based on the results of the present DNS combined with theoretical considerations, the physical mechanism of this local heat transfer deterioration is elucidated.