An antisteatosis response regulated by oleic acid through lipid droplet-mediated ERAD enhancement.

Although excessive lipid accumulation is a hallmark of obesity-related pathologies, some lipids are beneficial. Oleic acid (OA), the most abundant monounsaturated fatty acid (FA), promotes health and longevity. Here, we show that OA benefits Caenorhabditis elegans by activating the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident transcription factor SKN-1A (Nrf1/NFE2L1) in a lipid homeostasis response. SKN-1A/Nrf1 is cleared from the ER by the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) machinery and stabilized when proteasome activity is low and canonically maintains proteasome homeostasis. Unexpectedly, OA increases nuclear SKN-1A levels independently of proteasome activity, through lipid droplet-dependent enhancement of ERAD. In turn, SKN-1A reduces steatosis by reshaping the lipid metabolism transcriptome and mediates longevity from OA provided through endogenous accumulation, reduced H3K4 trimethylation, or dietary supplementation. Our findings reveal an unexpected mechanism of FA signal transduction, as well as a lipid homeostasis pathway that provides strategies for opposing steatosis and aging, and may mediate some benefits of the OA-rich Mediterranean diet.

Two isoforms of the essential C. elegans Argonaute CSR-1 differentially regulate sperm and oocyte fertility.

The Caenorhabditis elegans genome encodes nineteen functional Argonaute proteins that use 22G-RNAs, 26G-RNAs, miRNAs or piRNAs to regulate target transcripts. Only one Argonaute is essential under normal laboratory conditions: CSR-1. While CSR-1 has been studied widely, nearly all studies have overlooked the fact that the csr-1 locus encodes two isoforms. These isoforms differ by an additional 163 amino acids present in the N-terminus of CSR-1a. Using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing to introduce GFP::3xFLAG into the long (CSR-1a) and short (CSR-1b) isoforms, we found that CSR-1a is expressed during spermatogenesis and in several somatic tissues, including the intestine. CSR-1b is expressed constitutively in the germline. small RNA sequencing of CSR-1 complexes shows that they interact with partly overlapping sets of 22G-RNAs. Phenotypic analyses reveal that the essential functions of csr-1 described in the literature coincide with CSR-1b, while CSR-1a plays tissue specific functions. During spermatogenesis, CSR-1a integrates into an sRNA regulatory network including ALG-3, ALG-4 and WAGO-10 that is necessary for fertility at 25°C. In the intestine, CSR-1a silences immunity and pathogen-responsive genes, and its loss results in improved survival from the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Our findings functionally distinguish the CSR-1 isoforms and highlight the importance of studying each AGO isoform independently.

Endoplasmic reticulum-associated SKN-1A/Nrf1 mediates a cytoplasmic unfolded protein response and promotes longevity.

Unfolded protein responses (UPRs) safeguard cellular function during proteotoxic stress and aging. In a previous paper (Lehrbach and Ruvkun, 2016) we showed that the ER-associated SKN-1A/Nrf1 transcription factor activates proteasome subunit expression in response to proteasome dysfunction, but it was not established whether SKN-1A/Nrf1 adjusts proteasome capacity in response to other proteotoxic insults. Here, we reveal that misfolded endogenous proteins and the human amyloid beta peptide trigger activation of proteasome subunit expression by SKN-1A/Nrf1. SKN-1A activation is protective against age-dependent defects caused by accumulation of misfolded and aggregation-prone proteins. In a C. elegans Alzheimer's disease model, SKN-1A/Nrf1 slows accumulation of the amyloid beta peptide and delays adult-onset cellular dysfunction. Our results indicate that SKN-1A surveys cellular protein folding and adjusts proteasome capacity to meet the demands of protein quality control pathways, revealing a new arm of the cytosolic UPR. This regulatory axis is critical for healthy aging and may be a target for therapeutic modulation of human aging and age-related disease.

Protein Sequence Editing of SKN-1A/Nrf1 by Peptide:N-Glycanase Controls Proteasome Gene Expression.

The proteasome mediates selective protein degradation and is dynamically regulated in response to proteotoxic challenges. SKN-1A/Nrf1, an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated transcription factor that undergoes N-linked glycosylation, serves as a sensor of proteasome dysfunction and triggers compensatory upregulation of proteasome subunit genes. Here, we show that the PNG-1/NGLY1 peptide:N-glycanase edits the sequence of SKN-1A protein by converting particular N-glycosylated asparagine residues to aspartic acid. Genetically introducing aspartates at these N-glycosylation sites bypasses the requirement for PNG-1/NGLY1, showing that protein sequence editing rather than deglycosylation is key to SKN-1A function. This pathway is required to maintain sufficient proteasome expression and activity, and SKN-1A hyperactivation confers resistance to the proteotoxicity of human amyloid beta peptide. Deglycosylation-dependent protein sequence editing explains how ER-associated and cytosolic isoforms of SKN-1 perform distinct cytoprotective functions corresponding to those of mammalian Nrf1 and Nrf2. Thus, we uncover an unexpected mechanism by which N-linked glycosylation regulates protein function and proteostasis.

Endoplasmic Reticulum Homeostasis Is Modulated by the Forkhead Transcription Factor FKH-9 During Infection of Caenorhabditis elegans.

Animals have evolved critical mechanisms to maintain cellular and organismal proteostasis during development, disease, and exposure to environmental stressors. The Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) is a conserved pathway that senses and responds to the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen. We have previously demonstrated that the IRE-1-XBP-1 branch of the UPR is required to maintain Caenorhabditis elegans ER homeostasis during larval development in the presence of pathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa In this study, we identify loss-of-function mutations in four conserved transcriptional regulators that suppress the larval lethality of xbp-1 mutant animals caused by immune activation in response to infection by pathogenic bacteria: FKH-9, a forkhead family transcription factor; ARID-1, an ARID/Bright domain-containing transcription factor; HCF-1, a transcriptional regulator that associates with histone modifying enzymes; and SIN-3, a subunit of a histone deacetylase complex. Further characterization of FKH-9 suggests that loss of FKH-9 enhances resistance to the ER toxin tunicamycin and results in enhanced ER-associated degradation (ERAD). Increased ERAD activity of fkh-9 loss-of-function mutants is accompanied by a diminished capacity to degrade cytosolic proteasomal substrates and a corresponding increased sensitivity to the proteasomal inhibitor bortezomib. Our data underscore how the balance between ER and cytosolic proteostasis can be influenced by compensatory activation of ERAD during the physiological ER stress of infection and immune activation.

Next-Generation Sequencing for Identification of EMS-Induced Mutations in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Forward genetic analysis using chemical mutagenesis in model organisms is a powerful tool for investigation of molecular mechanisms in biological systems. In the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, mutagenesis screens using ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) have led to important insights into genetic control of animal development and physiology. A major bottleneck to this approach is identification of the causative mutation underlying a phenotype of interest. In the past, this has required time-consuming genetic mapping experiments. More recently, next-generation sequencing technologies have allowed development of new methods for rapid mapping and identification of EMS-induced lesions. In this unit we describe a protocol to map and identify EMS-induced mutations in C. elegans. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Proteasome dysfunction triggers activation of SKN-1A/Nrf1 by the aspartic protease DDI-1.

Proteasomes are essential for protein homeostasis in eukaryotes. To preserve cellular function, transcription of proteasome subunit genes is induced in response to proteasome dysfunction caused by pathogen attacks or proteasome inhibitor drugs. In Caenorhabditis elegans, this response requires SKN-1, a transcription factor related to mammalian Nrf1/2. Here, we use comprehensive genetic analyses to identify the pathway required for C. elegans to detect proteasome dysfunction and activate SKN-1. Genes required for SKN-1 activation encode regulators of ER traffic, a peptide N-glycanase, and DDI-1, a conserved aspartic protease. DDI-1 expression is induced by proteasome dysfunction, and we show that DDI-1 is required to cleave and activate an ER-associated isoform of SKN-1. Mammalian Nrf1 is also ER-associated and subject to proteolytic cleavage, suggesting a conserved mechanism of proteasome surveillance. Targeting mammalian DDI1 protease could mitigate effects of proteasome dysfunction in aging and protein aggregation disorders, or increase effectiveness of proteasome inhibitor cancer chemotherapies.

Tertiary siRNAs mediate paramutation in C. elegans.

In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, different small RNA-dependent gene silencing mechanisms act in the germline to initiate transgenerational gene silencing. Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) can initiate transposon and gene silencing by acting upstream of endogenous short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), which engage a nuclear RNA interference (RNAi) pathway to trigger transcriptional gene silencing. Once gene silencing has been established, it can be stably maintained over multiple generations without the requirement of the initial trigger and is also referred to as RNAe or paramutation. This heritable silencing depends on the integrity of the nuclear RNAi pathway. However, the exact mechanism by which silencing is maintained across generations is not understood. Here we demonstrate that silencing of piRNA targets involves the production of two distinct classes of small RNAs with different genetic requirements. The first class, secondary siRNAs, are localized close to the direct target site for piRNAs. Nuclear import of the secondary siRNAs by the Argonaute HRDE-1 leads to the production of a distinct class of small RNAs that map throughout the transcript, which we term tertiary siRNAs. Both classes of small RNAs are necessary for full repression of the target gene and can be maintained independently of the initial piRNA trigger. Consistently, we observed a form of paramutation associated with tertiary siRNAs. Once paramutated, a tertiary siRNA generating allele confers dominant silencing in the progeny regardless of its own transmission, suggesting germline-transmitted siRNAs are sufficient for multigenerational silencing. This work uncovers a multi-step siRNA amplification pathway that promotes germline integrity via epigenetic silencing of endogenous and invading genetic elements. In addition, the same pathway can be engaged in environmentally induced heritable gene silencing and could therefore promote the inheritance of acquired traits.

A deletion polymorphism in the Caenorhabditis elegans RIG-I homolog disables viral RNA dicing and antiviral immunity.

RNA interference defends against viral infection in plant and animal cells. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and its natural pathogen, the positive-strand RNA virus Orsay, have recently emerged as a new animal model of host-virus interaction. Using a genome-wide association study in C. elegans wild populations and quantitative trait locus mapping, we identify a 159 base-pair deletion in the conserved drh-1 gene (encoding a RIG-I-like helicase) as a major determinant of viral sensitivity. We show that DRH-1 is required for the initiation of an antiviral RNAi pathway and the generation of virus-derived siRNAs (viRNAs). In mammals, RIG-I-domain containing proteins trigger an interferon-based innate immunity pathway in response to RNA virus infection. Our work in C. elegans demonstrates that the RIG-I domain has an ancient role in viral recognition. We propose that RIG-I acts as modular viral recognition factor that couples viral recognition to different effector pathways including RNAi and interferon responses. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00994.001.

A study of Caenorhabditis elegans DAF-2 mutants by metabolomics and differential correlation networks.

daf-2 is one of the most studied mutants in C. elegans: it contains a deletion in the gene orthologue of the insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IGF) receptor. Using high resolution (1)H NMR spectroscopy, metabolomics has helped to dissect the metabolic consequences of altered daf-2 signalling. Here, we present a detailed metabolomic analysis of daf-2, using NMR spectroscopy, gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to integrate information from different pathways. We have then used Pearson and partial correlation analysis to build networks to explore the central role of daf-2 in regulating fatty acid and amino acid metabolism. The results show the tight regulation between these two parts of the metabolome.

Post-developmental microRNA expression is required for normal physiology, and regulates aging in parallel to insulin/IGF-1 signaling in C. elegans.

Regulation of gene expression by microRNAs (miRNAs) is essential for normal development, but the roles of miRNAs in the physiology of adult animals are poorly understood. We have isolated a conditional allele of DGCR8/pash-1, which allows reversible and rapid inactivation of miRNA synthesis in vivo in Caenorhabditis elegans. This is a powerful new tool that allows dissection of post-developmental miRNA functions. We demonstrate that continuous synthesis of miRNAs is dispensable for cellular viability but critical for the physiology of adult animals. Loss of miRNA synthesis in the adult reduces lifespan and results in rapid aging. The insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway is a critical determinant of lifespan, and is modulated by miRNAs. We find that although miRNA expression is required for some mechanisms of lifespan extension, it is not essential for the longevity of animals lacking insulin/IGF-1 signaling. Further, misregulated insulin/IGF-1 signaling cannot account for the reduced lifespan caused by disruption of miRNA synthesis. We show that miRNAs act in parallel with insulin/IGF-1 signaling to regulate a shared set of downstream genes important for physiological processes that determine lifespan. We conclude that coordinated transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression promotes longevity.

piRNAs can trigger a multigenerational epigenetic memory in the germline of C. elegans.

Transgenerational effects have wide-ranging implications for human health, biological adaptation, and evolution; however, their mechanisms and biology remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that a germline nuclear small RNA/chromatin pathway can maintain stable inheritance for many generations when triggered by a piRNA-dependent foreign RNA response in C. elegans. Using forward genetic screens and candidate approaches, we find that a core set of nuclear RNAi and chromatin factors is required for multigenerational inheritance of environmental RNAi and piRNA silencing. These include a germline-specific nuclear Argonaute HRDE1/WAGO-9, a HP1 ortholog HPL-2, and two putative histone methyltransferases, SET-25 and SET-32. piRNAs can trigger highly stable long-term silencing lasting at least 20 generations. Once established, this long-term memory becomes independent of the piRNA trigger but remains dependent on the nuclear RNAi/chromatin pathway. Our data present a multigenerational epigenetic inheritance mechanism induced by piRNAs.

Function, targets, and evolution of Caenorhabditis elegans piRNAs.

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are small RNAs required to maintain germline integrity and fertility, but their mechanism of action is poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that Caenorhabditis elegans piRNAs silence transcripts in trans through imperfectly complementary sites. Target silencing is independent of Piwi endonuclease activity or "slicing." Instead, piRNAs initiate a localized secondary endogenous small interfering RNA (endo-siRNA) response. Endogenous protein-coding gene and transposon transcripts exhibit Piwi-dependent endo-siRNAs at sites complementary to piRNAs and are derepressed in Piwi mutants. Genomic loci of piRNA biogenesis are depleted of protein-coding genes and tend to overlap the start and end of transposons in sense and antisense, respectively. Our data suggest that nematode piRNA clusters are evolving to generate piRNAs against active mobile elements. Thus, piRNAs provide heritable, sequence-specific triggers for RNA interference in C. elegans.

A LIN28-dependent structural change in pre-let-7g directly inhibits dicer processing.

Several recent studies have provided evidence that LIN28, a cytoplasmic RNA-binding protein, inhibits the biogenesis of members of the let-7 microRNA family at the Dicer step in both mammals and Caenorhabditis elegans. However, the precise mechanism of inhibition is still poorly understood. Here we report on an in vitro study, which combined RNase footprinting, gel shift binding assays, and processing assays, to investigate the molecular basis and function of the interaction between the native let-7g precursor (pre-let-7g) and LIN28. We have mapped the structure of pre-let-7g and identified some regions of the terminal loop of pre-let-7g that physically interact with LIN28. We have also identified a conformational change upon LIN28 binding that results in the unwinding of an otherwise double-stranded region at the Dicer processing site of pre-let-7g. Furthermore, we showed that a mutant pre-let-7g that displays an open upper stem inhibited pre-let-7g Dicer processing to the same extent as LIN28. The data support a mechanism by which LIN28 can directly inhibit let-7g biogenesis at the Dicer processing step.

Regulation of pre-miRNA Processing.

microRNAs are endogenously expressed ∼21 nucleotide noncoding RNAs. microRNA-mediated regulation of the translation of specific mRNA is implicated in a range of developmental processes and pathologies. As such, miRNA expression is tightly controlled in normal development by both transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. This chapter is concerned with the control of pre-miRNA processing of individual miRNAs by specific factors. It is focussed on the regulation of a subset of miRNAs by the RNA-binding protein Lin28/LIN-28. We discuss how Lin28/LIN-28 can sequester pre-let-7 miRNA precursor to prevent Dicer-mediated processing. We describe how interaction of pre-let-7 with Lin28/ LIN-28 leads to pre-let-7 uridylation and subsequent degradation. Finally, we analyze how let-7 and Lin28/LIN-28 together act as a highly conserved developmental switch that controls stem cell differentiation in C. elegans and mammals.

A quantitative targeted proteomics approach to validate predicted microRNA targets in C. elegans.

Efficient experimental strategies are needed to validate computationally predicted microRNA (miRNA) target genes. Here we present a large-scale targeted proteomics approach to validate predicted miRNA targets in Caenorhabditis elegans. Using selected reaction monitoring (SRM), we quantified 161 proteins of interest in extracts from wild-type and let-7 mutant worms. We demonstrate by independent experimental downstream analyses such as genetic interaction, as well as polysomal profiling and luciferase assays, that validation by targeted proteomics substantially enriched for biologically relevant let-7 interactors. For example, we found that the zinc finger protein ZTF-7 was a bona fide let-7 miRNA target. We also validated predicted miR-58 targets, demonstrating that this approach is adaptable to other miRNAs. We propose that targeted mass spectrometry can be applied generally to validate candidate lists generated by computational methods or in large-scale experiments, and that the described strategy should be readily adaptable to other organisms.

The conserved miR-51 microRNA family is redundantly required for embryonic development and pharynx attachment in Caenorhabditis elegans.

microRNAs (miRNAs) are approximately 22-nucleotide small RNAs that act as endogenous regulators of gene expression by base-pairing with target mRNAs. Here we analyze the function of the six members of the Caenorhabditis elegans miR-51 family of miRNAs (miR-51, miR-52, miR-53, miR-54, miR-55, miR-56). miR-51 family miRNAs are broadly expressed from mid-embryogenesis onward. The miR-51 family is redundantly required for embryonic development. mir-51 family mutants display a highly penetrant pharynx unattached (Pun) phenotype, where the pharyngeal muscle, the food pump of C. elegans, is not attached to the mouth. Unusually, the Pun phenotype in mir-51 family mutants is not due to a failure to attach, but instead a failure to maintain attachment during late embryogenesis. Expression of the miR-51 family in the mouth is sufficient to maintain attachment. The Fat cadherin ortholog CDH-3 is expressed in the mouth and is a direct target of the miR-51 family miRNAs. Genetic analysis reveals that miR-51 family miRNAs might act in part through CDH-3 to regulate pharynx attachment. This study is the first to assign a function to the miR-51/miR-100 miRNA family in any organism.

Regulation of pre-miRNA processing.

microRNAs are endogenously expressed 21 nucleotide noncoding RNAs. microRNA-mediated regulation of the translation of specific mRNA is implicated in a range of developmental processes and pathologies. As such, miRNA expression is tightly controlled in normal development by both transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. This chapter is concerned with the control of pre-miRNA processing of individual miRNAs by specific factors. It is focussed on the regulation of a subset of miRNAs by the RNA-binding protein Lin28/LIN-28. We discuss how Lin28/LIN-28 can sequester pre-let-7 miRNA precursor to prevent Dicer-mediated processing. We describe how interaction of pre-let-7 with Lin28/ LIN-28 leads to pre-let-7 uridylation and subsequent degradation. Finally, we analyze how let-7 and Lin28/LIN-28 together act as a highly conserved developmental switch that controls stem cell differentiation in C. elegans and mammals.

LIN-28 and the poly(U) polymerase PUP-2 regulate let-7 microRNA processing in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The let-7 microRNA (miRNA) is an ultraconserved regulator of stem cell differentiation and developmental timing and a candidate tumor suppressor. Here we show that LIN-28 and the poly(U) polymerase PUP-2 regulate let-7 processing in Caenorhabditis elegans. We demonstrate that lin-28 is necessary and sufficient to block let-7 activity in vivo; LIN-28 directly binds let-7 pre-miRNA to prevent Dicer processing. Moreover, we have identified a poly(U) polymerase, PUP-2, which regulates the stability of LIN-28-blockaded let-7 pre-miRNA and contributes to LIN-28-dependent regulation of let-7 during development. We show that PUP-2 and LIN-28 interact directly, and that LIN-28 stimulates uridylation of let-7 pre-miRNA by PUP-2 in vitro. Our results demonstrate that LIN-28 and let-7 form an ancient regulatory switch, conserved from nematodes to humans, and provide insight into the mechanism of LIN-28 action in vivo. Uridylation by a PUP-2 ortholog might regulate let-7 and additional miRNAs in other species. Given the roles of Lin28 and let-7 in stem cell and cancer biology, we propose that such poly(U) polymerases are potential therapeutic targets.

Piwi and piRNAs act upstream of an endogenous siRNA pathway to suppress Tc3 transposon mobility in the Caenorhabditis elegans germline.

The Piwi proteins of the Argonaute superfamily are required for normal germline development in Drosophila, zebrafish, and mice and associate with 24-30 nucleotide RNAs termed piRNAs. We identify a class of 21 nucleotide RNAs, previously named 21U-RNAs, as the piRNAs of C. elegans. Piwi and piRNA expression is restricted to the male and female germline and independent of many proteins in other small-RNA pathways, including DCR-1. We show that Piwi is specifically required to silence Tc3, but not other Tc/mariner DNA transposons. Tc3 excision rates in the germline are increased at least 100-fold in piwi mutants as compared to wild-type. We find no evidence for a Ping-Pong model for piRNA amplification in C. elegans. Instead, we demonstrate that Piwi acts upstream of an endogenous siRNA pathway in Tc3 silencing. These data might suggest a link between piRNA and siRNA function.