Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Dissecting Innate Immune Signaling in Viral Evasion of Cytokine Production
Published on: March 2, 2014
SUMO peptidase ULP-4 regulates mitochondrial UPR-mediated innate immunity and lifespan extension
Kaiyu Gao1, Yi Li1,2, Shumei Hu2
1State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, and Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
Animals respond to mitochondrial stress with the induction of mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt). A cascade of events occur upon UPRmt activation, ultimately triggering a transcriptional response governed by two transcription factors: DVE-1 and ATFS-1. Here we identify SUMO-specific peptidase ULP-4 as a positive regulator of C. elegans UPRmt to control SUMOylation status of DVE-1 and ATFS-1. SUMOylation affects these two axes in the transcriptional program of UPRmt with distinct mechanisms: change of DVE-1 subcellular localization vs. change of ATFS-1 stability and activity. Our findings reveal a post-translational modification that promotes immune response and lifespan extension during mitochondrial stress.
Related Concept Videos
Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 Inhibitors
Introduction to Innate and Adaptive Immunity
Innate immunity is the body's natural, nonspecific defense system that acts quickly to protect against pathogens. It incorporates physical barriers like skin and mucous membranes and cellular elements such as phagocytes and natural killer cells. This part of our immune system provides an immediate,...
Cells of the Innate Immune Response
Phagocytes
Phagocytes police the peripheral tissues by removing cellular debris and responding to the invasion of foreign substances or pathogens. Many phagocytes attack and remove microorganisms even before lymphocytes detect them. The human body has two general...
What is the Immune System?
Cell-mediated Immune Responses
Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...

