title: The cAMP-PKA pathway-mediated fat mobilization is required for cold tolerance in C. elegans.
abstract: Low temperature has a great impact on animal life. Homoiotherms such as mammals increase their energy expenditure to produce heat by activating the cAMP-protein kinase A (PKA)-hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) pathway under cold stress. Although poikilothermic animals do not have the ability to regulate body temperature, whether this pathway is required for cold tolerance remains unknown. We have now achieved this using the genetically tractable model animal Caenorhabditis elegans. We demonstrate that cold stress activates PKA signaling, which in turn up-regulates the expression of a hormone-sensitive lipase hosl-1. The lipase induces fat mobilization, leading to glycerol accumulation, thereby protecting worms against cold stress. Our findings provide an example of an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for cold tolerance that has persisted in both poikilothermic and homoeothermic animals.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650091, China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650091, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650091, China.
authors.forename: Xing-Lai
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650091, China. kqzhang@ynu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Ke-Qin
authors.initials: KQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650091, China. fushu111@qq.com.
authors.forename: Cheng-Gang
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Zou
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003080:Cold Temperature; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism*; D054751:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase Catalytic Subunits / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008066:Lipolysis; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D054751:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase Catalytic Subunits; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; C000627765:KIN-1 protein, C elegans