title: Bacterial Folates Provide an Exogenous Signal for C. elegans Germline Stem Cell Proliferation.
abstract: Here we describe an in vitro primary culture system for Caenorhabditis elegans germline stem cells. This culture system was used to identify a bacterial folate as a positive regulator of germ cell proliferation. Folates are a family of B-complex vitamins that function in one-carbon metabolism to allow the de novo synthesis of amino acids and nucleosides. We show that germ cell proliferation is stimulated by the folate 10-formyl-tetrahydrofolate-Glun both in vitro and in animals. Other folates that can act as vitamins to rescue folate deficiency lack this germ cell stimulatory activity. The bacterial folate precursor dihydropteroate also promotes germ cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo, despite its inability to promote one-carbon metabolism. The folate receptor homolog FOLR-1 is required for the stimulation of germ cells by 10-formyl-tetrahydrofolate-Glun and dihydropteroate. This work defines a folate and folate-related compound as exogenous signals to modulate germ cell proliferation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
authors.forename: Snehal N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Chaudhari
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
authors.forename: Madhumati
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
authors.forename: Alexandra S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Vagasi
authors.affiliation: Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
authors.forename: Gaofeng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
authors.forename: Mohammad M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
authors.forename: Christine Q
authors.initials: CQ
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
authors.forename: Ligi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.affiliation: Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Selhub
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. Electronic address: ekipreos@uga.edu.
authors.forename: Edward T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Kipreos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D058972:Folic Acid Transporters / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D058972:Folic Acid Transporters; D005492:Folic Acid