The SNAPc complex mediates starvation-induced trans-splicing in Caenorhabditis elegans

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Genetics
• Animal Model Organisms

Background:

• Dietary restriction typically inhibits biosynthesis and activates catabolism.
• Short-term starvation paradoxically enhances biosynthesis and ribosomal biogenesis in adult C. elegans.
• The underlying molecular mechanisms for this starvation response are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which short-term starvation enhances biosynthetic activities in adult C. elegans.
• To identify key factors regulating the nutrition response and survival during food deprivation.
• To investigate the role of SL trans-splicing in starvation adaptation.

Main Methods:

• Transcriptome analysis to identify changes in gene expression during starvation.
• Investigating the function of the small nuclear RNA-activating protein complex (SNAPc) in SL RNA production and trans-splicing.
• Analyzing the role of TOFU-5, a piRNA production factor, in starvation-induced trans-splicing.
• Gene knockdown experiments to assess the impact on worm survival under starvation.

Main Results:

• Short-term starvation significantly enhances SL1 trans-splicing of translation-related genes in adult C. elegans.
• The small nuclear RNA-activating protein complex (SNAPc) is crucial for promoting SL RNA production and mediating starvation-induced trans-splicing.
• TOFU-5, a component of the upstream sequence transcription complex (USTC), also participates in these starvation-induced trans-splicing processes.
• Knockdown of SNAPc components or tofu-5 leads to extended worm survival during starvation.

Conclusions:

• SL trans-splicing plays a critical role in the nutritional response pathway in C. elegans.
• The study reveals a novel mechanism regulating survival during food deprivation, involving SNAPc and TOFU-5.
• These findings provide insights into how organisms adapt to starvation at a molecular level.