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Generation of caveolin‐2 overexpressing C. elegans and their response to stress
Author(s) -
Shi Eileen,
Fridolfsson Heidi N.,
Kwan Evan,
Schilling Jan M.,
Patel Hemal H.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.1211.4
Subject(s) - caveolin 1 , microbiology and biotechnology , scaffold protein , unfolded protein response , biology , caveolin , chemistry , mitochondrion , caveolae , endoplasmic reticulum , signal transduction
The plasma membrane is a key barrier that impedes external stressors and responds to them by utilizing signaling microenvironments. Lipids rafts are cholesterol and glycosphingolipid enriched microenvironments containing scaffolding proteins— caveolins (Cav‐1, ‐2, ‐3 in mammals and Cav‐1, ‐2 in C. elegans ) — that interact with and organize various signaling molecules. Increased caveolin expression in mice protects against cardiac and neuronal stress and limits age‐related dysfunction. This project seeks to analyze more global effects of caveolin by using C. elegans as a model species in which Cav‐2 is knocked out (KO) or overexpressed (OE), hypothesizing that overexpression will result in improved metabolic functions. KO's were provided whereas we generated Cav‐2 OE by inserting a let‐858 global promoter and Cav‐2 gene into a Mos‐II targeting vector. We observed significantly elevated (2‐fold) superoxide radical production in Cav‐2 KO, whereas Cav‐2 OE exhibited a 50% decrease relative to N2 controls in electron paramagnetic resonance. Cav‐2 KO also displayed significantly suppressed state‐3 generation of ATP, which was not observed in Cav‐2 OE relative to N2 wild‐type. We conclude that caveolin regulates mitochondrial stress in C. elegans , representing a potential therapeutic target in a wide range of diseases and disorders.