Expression profiles in Caenorhabditis elegans mutants lacking an intestinally expressed microRNA mir-60 that promote adaptive response against chronic oxidative stress
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ABSTRACT: Recent revelations into microRNA function suggest that microRNAs serve as a key player in a robust adaptive response against stress in animals through their fine-tuning capability in gene expression. However, it remains largely unclear how a microRNA-modulated downstream mechanism contributes to the process of homeostatic adaptation. Here we show that loss of an intestinally expressed microRNA gene mir-60 in the nematode C. elegans promotes adaptive response against oxidative stress; animals lacking mir-60 dramatically extend lifespan under a mild and long-term oxidative stress condition, while they do not increase resistance against a strong and transient oxidative stress exposure. We found that canonical stress responsive factors, such as DAF-16/FOXO, are dispensable for mir-60 loss to enhance oxidative stress resistance. Gene expression profiles revealed that genes encoding lysosomal proteases and those involved in the xenobiotic metabolism and pathogen defense response are up-regulated by the mir-60 loss. Detailed genetic studies and computational microRNA target prediction suggest that endocytosis components and a bZip transcription factor gene zip-10, which functions in innate immune response, are directly modulated by miR-60 in the intestine. Our findings suggest that the mir-60 loss facilitates adaptive response against chronic oxidative stress by ensuring the maintenance of cellular homeostasis.
ORGANISM(S): Caenorhabditis elegans
PROVIDER: GSE83239 | GEO | 2016/09/27
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA325325
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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