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Multiple pals gene modules control a balance between immunity and development in Caenorhabditis elegans
Vladimir Lažetić1, Michael J Blanchard1, Theresa Bui1
1School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|January 30, 2023
Summary
The study identifies PALS-17 as a negative regulator of the Intracellular Pathogen Response (IPR) in C. elegans, balancing immunity and development. PALS-20 and PALS-16 act as positive regulators, fine-tuning this immune response.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Genetics
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Immune system activation can lead to evolutionary expansion of immune gene families.
- The Intracellular Pathogen Response (IPR) in C. elegans protects against Orsay virus and Nematocida parisii.
- Balancing immune activation with organismal development is crucial for host health.
Approach:
- Identified a novel gene, pals-17, as a negative regulator of the IPR in C. elegans.
- Investigated the roles of pals-20 and pals-16 as positive regulators of the IPR.
- Examined protein colocalization of PALS-17 and PALS-20 in intestinal cells.
Key Points:
- pals-17 mutants exhibit constitutive IPR upregulation, enhanced immunity, and impaired development.
- pals-20 and pals-16 act downstream of pals-17, reversing its mutant phenotypes.
- PALS-17 and PALS-20 proteins colocalize in C. elegans intestinal epithelial cells.
Conclusions:
- Several pals genes function as genetic modules to regulate the balance between immunity and development.
- This regulation is critical for C. elegans' defense against intracellular pathogens.
- The study highlights a conserved mechanism for managing host-pathogen interactions.
