Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Solid Plate-based Dietary Restriction in Caenorhabditis elegans
06:13

Solid Plate-based Dietary Restriction in Caenorhabditis elegans

Published on: May 28, 2011

17.2K

[MOLECULAR MECHANISM OF A CALORIC RESTRICTION DIET]

Alicja Gawecka, Ewa Stachowska

    Annales Academiae Medicae Stetinensis
    |November 24, 2015
    PubMed

    Insights

    Caloric restriction activates FoxO proteins via sirtuin enzymes, enhancing their DNA interaction. This metabolic regulation is observed in various tissues, highlighting a key response to limited food availability.

    Area of Science:

    • Metabolic regulation
    • Molecular biology
    • Cellular signaling

    Background:

    • Caloric restriction (CR) is a dietary intervention known to influence metabolic processes.
    • Forkhead box O (FoxO) proteins are crucial regulators of carbohydrate metabolism and cellular responses to stress.
    • Sirtuins are a class of NAD+-dependent enzymes involved in deacetylating proteins, thereby modulating their activity.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the role of caloric restriction in modulating FoxO protein activity.
    • To elucidate the involvement of sirtuins in the activation of FoxO proteins under restricted feeding conditions.
    • To examine the impact of FoxO deacetylation on DNA binding and cellular function.

    Main Methods:

    • Analysis of FoxO protein activity under conditions of caloric restriction.
    • Assay of sirtuin enzyme activity and expression levels.
    • Assessment of FoxO protein deacetylation status.
    • Evaluation of FoxO protein interaction with DNA in vitro and in vivo.
    • Measurement of sirtuin levels in various tissues (muscle, brain, kidney, adipose tissue) following caloric restriction.

    Main Results:

    • Caloric restriction leads to the activation of FoxO proteins, key regulators of carbohydrate metabolism.
    • FoxO protein activation is mediated by deacetylation, a process carried out by sirtuin enzymes.
    • Sirtuin activity is dependent on the cellular metabolic state, particularly NAD+ levels.
    • Deacetylation enhances FoxO proteins' ability to interact with DNA, influencing gene expression.
    • In vivo studies demonstrate increased sirtuin levels in multiple tissues, including muscle, brain, kidney, and adipose tissue, under caloric restriction.

    Conclusions:

    • Caloric restriction modulates FoxO protein activity through sirtuin-mediated deacetylation.
    • This mechanism enhances FoxO's DNA-binding potential, impacting metabolic regulation.
    • Increased sirtuin levels in various tissues underscore the systemic effects of caloric restriction on cellular metabolism.

    More Related Videos

    Assessment of the Metabolic Effects of Isocaloric 2:1 Intermittent Fasting in Mice08:06

    Assessment of the Metabolic Effects of Isocaloric 2:1 Intermittent Fasting in Mice

    Published on: November 27, 2019

    9.7K
    Quantification of Information Encoded by Gene Expression Levels During Lifespan Modulation Under Broad-range Dietary Restriction in C. elegans09:23

    Quantification of Information Encoded by Gene Expression Levels During Lifespan Modulation Under Broad-range Dietary Restriction in C. elegans

    Published on: August 16, 2017

    8.7K

    Related Concept Videos

    Regulation of Metabolism01:19

    Regulation of Metabolism

    Cellular needs and conditions vary from cell to cell and change within individual cells over time. For example, the required enzymes and energetic demands of stomach cells are different from those of fat storage cells, skin cells, blood cells, and nerve cells. Furthermore, a digestive cell works much harder to process and break down nutrients during the time that closely follows a meal compared with many hours after a meal. As these cellular demands and conditions vary, so do the amounts and...
    12.3K
    Calmodulin-dependent Signaling01:16

    Calmodulin-dependent Signaling

    Calmodulin (CaM) is a calcium-binding protein in eukaryotes that controls various calcium-regulated cellular processes. It has four calcium-binding sites that bind calcium to form the calcium-calmodulin ( Ca2+-CaM) complex. GPCR stimulation increases the calcium levels in the cells that bind to CaM and induces a conformational change.
    The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...
    7.0K
    Metabolic States of the Body: Fasting and Starvation01:24

    Metabolic States of the Body: Fasting and Starvation

    During the initial hours of fasting, the body uses up its glycogen stores as an energy source. Once these glycogen reserves are depleted, the body begins breaking down stored triglycerides and structural proteins. During this stage, glycerol becomes a key substrate for gluconeogenesis, while free fatty acids undergo beta-oxidation to provide energy for tissues, such as skeletal muscle. In the fasting state, the body spares protein breakdown as much as possible to conserve muscle and structural...
    3.3K
    Regulation of Food Intake01:30

    Regulation of Food Intake

    Short-term regulation of food intake primarily involves neural signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood nutrient levels, and GI tract hormones. Communication between the gut and brain via vagal nerve fibers plays a significant role in evaluating the contents of the gut. Clinical studies have shown that protein ingestion produces a more prolonged response in these nerve fibers compared to an equivalent amount of glucose. Additionally, the activation of stretch receptors caused by GI...
    3.1K