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Wang Y, Guo K, Wang Q, Zhong G, Zhang W, Jiang Y, Mao X, Li X, Huang Z. Caenorhabditis elegans as an emerging model in food and nutrition research: importance of standardizing base diet. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2022; 64:3167-3185. [PMID: 36200941 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2130875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
As a model organism that has helped revolutionize life sciences, Caenorhabditis elegans has been increasingly used in nutrition research. Here we explore the tradeoffs between pros and cons of its use as a dietary model based primarily on literature review from the past decade. We first provide an overview of its experimental strengths as an animal model, focusing on lifespan and healthspan, behavioral and physiological phenotypes, and conservation of key nutritional pathways. We then summarize recent advances of its use in nutritional studies, e.g. food preference and feeding behavior, sugar status and metabolic reprogramming, lifetime and transgenerational nutrition tracking, and diet-microbiota-host interactions, highlighting cutting-edge technologies originated from or developed in C. elegans. We further review current challenges of using C. elegans as a nutritional model, followed by in-depth discussions on potential solutions. In particular, growth scales and throughputs, food uptake mode, and axenic culture of C. elegans are appraised in the context of food research. We also provide perspectives for future development of chemically defined nematode food ("NemaFood") for C. elegans, which is now widely accepted as a versatile and affordable in vivo model and has begun to show transformative potential to pioneer nutrition science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Wang
- Institute for Food Nutrition and Human Health, School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Biocosmetics, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kaixin Guo
- Institute for Food Nutrition and Human Health, School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qiangqiang Wang
- Institute for Food Nutrition and Human Health, School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Biocosmetics, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guohuan Zhong
- Institute for Food Nutrition and Human Health, School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Bioresources and Drug Discovery, School of Biosciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenjun Zhang
- Center for Bioresources and Drug Discovery, School of Biosciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiyi Jiang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Biocosmetics, Guangzhou, China
- Perfect Life & Health Institute, Zhongshan, Guangdong, China
| | - Xinliang Mao
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Biocosmetics, Guangzhou, China
- Perfect Life & Health Institute, Zhongshan, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaomin Li
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Biocosmetics, Guangzhou, China
- Perfect Life & Health Institute, Zhongshan, Guangdong, China
| | - Zebo Huang
- Institute for Food Nutrition and Human Health, School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Biocosmetics, Guangzhou, China
- Center for Bioresources and Drug Discovery, School of Biosciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
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Braganza A, Li J, Zeng X, Yates NA, Dey NB, Andrews J, Clark J, Zamani L, Wang XH, St Croix C, O'Sullivan R, Garcia-Exposito L, Brodsky JL, Sobol RW. UBE3B Is a Calmodulin-regulated, Mitochondrion-associated E3 Ubiquitin Ligase. J Biol Chem 2016; 292:2470-2484. [PMID: 28003368 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.766824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent genome-wide studies found that patients with hypotonia, developmental delay, intellectual disability, congenital anomalies, characteristic facial dysmorphic features, and low cholesterol levels suffer from Kaufman oculocerebrofacial syndrome (KOS, also reported as blepharophimosis-ptosis-intellectual disability syndrome). The primary cause of KOS is autosomal recessive mutations in the gene UBE3B However, to date, there are no studies that have determined the cellular or enzymatic function of UBE3B. Here, we report that UBE3B is a mitochondrion-associated protein with homologous to the E6-AP Cterminus (HECT) E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. Mutating the catalytic cysteine (C1036A) or deleting the entire HECT domain (amino acids 758-1068) results in loss of UBE3B's ubiquitylation activity. Knockdown of UBE3B in human cells induces changes in mitochondrial morphology and physiology, a decrease in mitochondrial volume, and a severe suppression of cellular proliferation. We also discovered that UBE3B interacts with calmodulin via its N-terminal isoleucine-glutamine (IQ) motif. Deletion of the IQ motif (amino acids 29-58) results in loss of calmodulin binding and a significant increase in the in vitro ubiquitylation activity of UBE3B. In addition, we found that changes in calcium levels in vitro disrupt the calmodulin-UBE3B interaction. These studies demonstrate that UBE3B is an E3 ubiquitin ligase and reveal that the enzyme is regulated by calmodulin. Furthermore, the modulation of UBE3B via calmodulin and calcium implicates a role for calcium signaling in mitochondrial protein ubiquitylation, protein turnover, and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Braganza
- From the Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261.,the Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
| | - Jianfeng Li
- the Department of Oncologic Sciences, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36604
| | - Xuemei Zeng
- Biomedical Mass Spectrometry Center, School of the Health Sciences, and
| | - Nathan A Yates
- the Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute.,Biomedical Mass Spectrometry Center, School of the Health Sciences, and.,the Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, and
| | - Nupur B Dey
- the Department of Oncologic Sciences, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36604
| | - Joel Andrews
- the Department of Oncologic Sciences, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36604
| | - Jennifer Clark
- the Department of Oncologic Sciences, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36604
| | - Leila Zamani
- the Department of Oncologic Sciences, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36604
| | - Xiao-Hong Wang
- the Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
| | - Claudette St Croix
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
| | - Roderick O'Sullivan
- From the Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261.,the Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
| | - Laura Garcia-Exposito
- From the Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261.,the Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
| | - Jeffrey L Brodsky
- the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260
| | - Robert W Sobol
- From the Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, .,the Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute.,the Department of Oncologic Sciences, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36604
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Edmunds LR, Sharma L, Wang H, Kang A, d’Souza S, Lu J, McLaughlin M, Dolezal JM, Gao X, Weintraub ST, Ding Y, Zeng X, Yates N, Prochownik EV. c-Myc and AMPK Control Cellular Energy Levels by Cooperatively Regulating Mitochondrial Structure and Function. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0134049. [PMID: 26230505 PMCID: PMC4521957 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Accepted: 07/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The c-Myc (Myc) oncoprotein and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) regulate glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation (Oxphos) although often for different purposes. Because Myc over-expression depletes ATP with the resultant activation of AMPK, we explored the potential co-dependency of and cross-talk between these proteins by comparing the consequences of acute Myc induction in ampk+/+ (WT) and ampk-/- (KO) murine embryo fibroblasts (MEFs). KO MEFs showed a higher basal rate of glycolysis than WT MEFs and an appropriate increase in response to activation of a Myc-estrogen receptor (MycER) fusion protein. However, KO MEFs had a diminished ability to increase Oxphos, mitochondrial mass and reactive oxygen species in response to MycER activation. Other differences between WT and KO MEFs, either in the basal state or following MycER induction, included abnormalities in electron transport chain function, levels of TCA cycle-related oxidoreductases and cytoplasmic and mitochondrial redox states. Transcriptional profiling of pathways pertinent to glycolysis, Oxphos and mitochondrial structure and function also uncovered significant differences between WT and KO MEFs and their response to MycER activation. Finally, an unbiased mass-spectrometry (MS)-based survey capable of quantifying ~40% of all mitochondrial proteins, showed about 15% of them to be AMPK- and/or Myc-dependent in their steady state. Significant differences in the activities of the rate-limiting enzymes pyruvate kinase and pyruvate dehydrogenase, which dictate pyruvate and acetyl coenzyme A abundance, were also differentially responsive to Myc and AMPK and could account for some of the differences in basal metabolite levels that were also detected by MS. Thus, Myc and AMPK are highly co-dependent and appear to engage in significant cross-talk across numerous pathways which support metabolic and ATP-generating functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lia R. Edmunds
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
- The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
| | - Lokendra Sharma
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
| | - Huabo Wang
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
| | - Audry Kang
- The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
| | - Sonia d’Souza
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
| | - Jie Lu
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
| | - Michael McLaughlin
- The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
| | - James M. Dolezal
- The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
| | - Xiaoli Gao
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio TX, United States of America
| | - Susan T. Weintraub
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio TX, United States of America
| | - Ying Ding
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
| | - Xuemei Zeng
- Department of Cell Biology, The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
| | - Nathan Yates
- Department of Cell Biology, The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
| | - Edward V. Prochownik
- Section of Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
- The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
- The Hillman Cancer Center, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjumand Ghazi
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Developmental Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
| | - Judith Yanowitz
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Developmental Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
| | - Gary A Silverman
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
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