title: HSF-1 is involved in regulation of ascaroside pheromone biosynthesis by heat stress in Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: The nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans survives by adapting to environmental stresses such as temperature extremes by increasing the concentrations of ascaroside pheromones, termed ascarosides or daumones, which signal early C. elegans larvae to enter a non-aging dauer state for long-term survival. It is well known that production of ascarosides is stimulated by heat stress, resulting in enhanced dauer formation by which worms can adapt to environmental insults. However, the molecular mechanism by which ascaroside pheromone biosynthesis is stimulated by heat stress remains largely unknown. In the present study, we show that the heat-shock transcription factor HSF-1 can mediate enhanced ascaroside pheromone biosynthesis in response to heat stress by activating the peroxisomal fatty acid β-oxidation genes in C. elegans. To explore the potential molecular mechanisms, we examined the four major genes involved in the ascaroside biosynthesis pathway and then quantified the changes in both the expression of these genes and ascaroside production under heat-stress conditions. The transcriptional activation of ascaroside pheromone biosynthesis genes by HSF-1 was quite notable, which is not only supported by chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, but also accompanied by the enhanced production of chemically detectable major ascarosides (e.g. daumones 1 and 3). Consequently, the dauer formation rate was significantly increased by the ascaroside pheromone extracts from N2 wild-type but not from hsf-1(sy441) mutant animals grown under heat-stress conditions. Hence heat-stress-enhanced ascaroside production appears to be mediated at least in part by HSF-1, which seems to be important in adaptation strategies for coping with heat stress in this nematode.
authors.affiliation: Yonsei Proteome Research Center, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyoe-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Omics for Biomedical Science, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Saeram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kwang-Youl
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Mun-Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Yonsei Proteome Research Center, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Heekyeong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Yonsei Proteome Research Center, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Donha
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Yonsei Proteome Research Center, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea Department of Integrated Omics for Biomedical Science, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea paikyk@yonsei.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Young-Ki
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Paik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000378:metabolism*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D047369:Chromatin Immunoprecipitation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D009154:Mutation; D010675:Pheromones / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D010675:Pheromones; D014157:Transcription Factors; C474710:heat shock factor-1, C elegans
keywords: Caenorhabditis elegans; HSF-1; ascaroside; daumone; heat stress; mass spectrometry; pheromone