Project description:Transcriptomic profile of the homeodomain protein CEH-23 under mitochondrial ETC stress in C. elegans by comparing gene expression profile between isp-1(qm150) vs. ceh-23(ms23);isp-1(qm150) mutants
Project description:Animals integrate metabolic, developmental, and environmental information before committing key resources to reproduction. In C. elegans, adult animals reallocate key fat stores from intestinal cells to the germline via lipoproteins to promote reproduction. I identified the evolutionarily conserved homeodomain transcription factor CEH-60/PBX as a potent regulator of lipid homeostasis, longevity, and stress response pathways. To gain a comprehensive view of CEH-60 transcriptional activity, I profiled the transcriptomes of ceh-60 mutants by mRNA-Seq and identified genome-wide CEH-60 binding sites by ChIP-Seq. These approaches revealed that several homeostatic pathways are directly controlled by the CEH-60 transcription factor. CEH-60 functions cooperatively with UNC-62/MEIS in the intestine to directly activate lipoprotein genes while simultaneously repressing genes involved in stress responses, including the innate immune and oxidative stress responses. Thus in wild-type animals, CEH-60 serves as a molecular switch that promotes reproduction (i.e., lipoproteins) while repressing stress response and longevity pathways. This study identifies a new key regulator of fat metabolism, longevity, and stress response pathways during normal C. elegans development.
Project description:Animals integrate metabolic, developmental, and environmental information before committing key resources to reproduction. In C. elegans, adult animals reallocate key fat stores from intestinal cells to the germline via lipoproteins to promote reproduction. I identified the evolutionarily conserved homeodomain transcription factor CEH-60/PBX as a potent regulator of lipid homeostasis, longevity, and stress response pathways. To gain a comprehensive view of CEH-60 transcriptional activity, I profiled the transcriptomes of ceh-60 mutants by mRNA-Seq and identified genome-wide CEH-60 binding sites by ChIP-Seq. These approaches revealed that several homeostatic pathways are directly controlled by the CEH-60 transcription factor. CEH-60 functions cooperatively with UNC-62/MEIS in the intestine to directly activate lipoprotein genes while simultaneously repressing genes involved in stress responses, including the innate immune and oxidative stress responses. Thus in wild-type animals, CEH-60 serves as a molecular switch that promotes reproduction (i.e., lipoproteins) while repressing stress response and longevity pathways. This study identifies a new key regulator of fat metabolism, longevity, and stress response pathways during normal C. elegans development.
Project description:The onset of sexual maturity involves dramatic changes in physiology and gene expression in many animals. A textbook example is the production of enormous amounts of yolk proteins destined for the nascent oocytes, termed vitellogenesis. We previously identified the rapidly evolving PBC-class Hox-cofactor CEH-60/PBX as necessary for abundant vit transcription in C. elegans. Differential proteomics data shows that all vitellogenin proteins are indeed drastically downregulated in ceh-60 mutant animals and suggest an additional role for CEH-60’s involvement cuticle structure, innate immunity and stress response.
