Thioredoxin is related to life span regulation and oxidative stress response in Caenorhabditis elegans.
Thioredoxin, an oxidoreductase, is a multifunction protein. The thioredoxin system is composed of NADPH, thioredoxin reductase and thioredoxin. This enzyme is highly conserved from bacteria to humans. We have characterized TRX-1, a thioredoxin homolog in C. elegans, which has about 36% identity in amino acid sequence with human thioredoxin. By gfp reporter system, trx-1 has been shown to be restrictedly expressed in ASI and ASJ neurons and in intestine. Immunostaining confirmed the intestinal expression. Full-length cDNA of trx-1 has been isolated by cDNA library PCR and subsequently cloned and sequenced. We have shown that the encoded protein functions as a reductase in the insulin reducing assay. Moreover, we have isolated a deletion mutant by PCR-based TMP-UV mutagenesis method. Mutant animals have reduced life span and are sensitive to oxidative stress. Reintroduction of trx-1 into mutant worms fully restored the wild-type phenotype. Our results suggest that trx-1 has important functions in life span regulation and oxidative stress response in C. elegans.
Jee
Changhoon
C
Department of Life Science, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Korea.
Vanoaica
Liviu
L
Lee
Jungsoo
J
Park
Byung Jae
BJ
Ahnn
Joohong
J
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013879:Thioredoxins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C508778:TRX-1 protein, C elegans; D013879:Thioredoxins; D010088:Oxidoreductases