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Updated: Sep 7, 2025

Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model System to Study Protein Homeostasis in a Multicellular Organism
Published on: December 18, 2013
SIN-3 functions through multi-protein interaction to regulate apoptosis, autophagy, and longevity in Caenorhabditis
Chandrika Konwar1, Jayant Maini2, Surbhi Kohli1
1Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India.
Abstract:
SIN3/HDAC is a multi-protein complex that acts as a regulatory unit and functions as a co-repressor/co-activator and a general transcription factor. SIN3 acts as a scaffold in the complex, binding directly to HDAC1/2 and other proteins and plays crucial roles in regulating apoptosis, differentiation, cell proliferation, development, and cell cycle. However, its exact mechanism of action remains elusive. Using the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model, we can surpass the challenges posed by the functional redundancy of SIN3 isoforms. In this regard, we have previously demonstrated the role of SIN-3 in uncoupling autophagy and longevity in C. elegans. In order to understand the mechanism of action of SIN3 in these processes, we carried out a comparative analysis of the SIN3 protein interactome from model organisms of different phyla. We identified conserved, expanded, and contracted gene classes. The C. elegans SIN-3 interactome -revealed the presence of well-known proteins, such as DAF-16, SIR-2.1, SGK-1, and AKT-1/2, involved in autophagy, apoptosis, and longevity. Overall, our analyses propose potential mechanisms by which SIN3 participates in multiple biological processes and their conservation across species and identifies candidate genes for further experimental analysis.
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