high-throughput-quantitative-rt-pcr-single-bulk-c-elegans-samples

High-Throughput Quantitative RT-PCR in Single and Bulk <em>C. elegans</em> Samples Using Nanofluidic Technology

This paper presents a high-throughput reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assay for Caenorhabditis elegans that is fast, robust, and highly ...

worm-align-wormcp-two-open-source-pipelines-for-straightening

Worm-align and Worm_CP, Two Open-Source Pipelines for Straightening and Quantification of Fluorescence Image Data Obtained from <em>Caenorhabditis elegans</em>

An issue often encountered when acquiring image data from fixed or anesthetized C. elegans is that worms cross and cluster with their neighbors. This ...

Babraham institute

Abundant evidence shows that the genome is not as static as once thought and that gene expression can be reversibly modulated by the environment. In some cases, these changes can be transmitted to the next generation even if the environment has reverted. Such transgenerational epigenetic inheritance requires that information be stored in the germline in response to exogenous stressors. One of the most elusive questions in the field of epigenetic inheritance is the identity of such inherited factor(s). Answering this question would allow us to understand how the environment can shape human populations for multiple generations and may help to explain the rapid rise in obesity and neurodegenerative diseases in modern society. It will also provide clues on how we might be able to reprogramme the epigenome to prevent transmission of detrimental phenotypes and identify individuals who might be at increased risk of disease. In this article, we aim to review recent developments in this field, focusing on research conducted mostly in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and mice, that link environmental modulators with the transgenerational inheritance of phenotypes that affect protein-folding homoeostasis and ageing.

Epigenetic inheritance of proteostasis and ageing.

Metabolism is one of the attributes of life and supplies energy and building blocks to organisms. Therefore, understanding metabolism is crucial for the understanding of complex biological phenomena. Despite having been in the focus of research for centuries, our picture of metabolism is still incomplete. Metabolomics, the systematic analysis of all small molecules in a biological system, aims to close this gap. In order to facilitate such investigations a blueprint of the metabolic network is required. Recently, several metabolic network reconstructions for the model organism  have been published, each having unique features. We have established the WormJam Community to merge and reconcile these (and other unpublished models) into a single consensus metabolic reconstruction. In a series of workshops and annotation seminars this model was refined with manual correction of incorrect assignments, metabolite structure and identifier curation as well as addition of new pathways. The WormJam consensus metabolic reconstruction represents a rich data source not only for  network-based approaches like flux balance analysis, but also for metabolomics, as it includes a database of metabolites present in , which can be used for annotation. Here we present the process of model merging, correction and curation and give a detailed overview of the model. In the future it is intended to expand the model toward different tissues and put special emphasizes on lipid metabolism and secondary metabolism including ascaroside metabolism in accordance to their central role in  physiology.

Modeling Meets Metabolomics-The WormJam Consensus Model as Basis for Metabolic Studies in the Model Organism .

In this contribution, we describe a multi-omics systems biology study of the metabolic changes that occur during aging in . Sampling several time points from young adulthood until early old age, our study covers the full duration of aging and include transcriptomics, and targeted MS-based metabolomics. In order to focus on the metabolic changes due to age we used two strains that are metabolically close to wild-type, yet are conditionally non-reproductive. Using these data in combination with a whole-genome model of the metabolism of  and mathematical modeling, we predicted metabolic fluxes during early aging. We find that standard Flux Balance Analysis does not accurately predict  measured fluxes nor age-related changes associated with the Citric Acid cycle. We present a novel Flux Balance Analysis method where we combined biomass production and targeted metabolomics information to generate an objective function that is more suitable for aging studies. We validated this approach with a detailed case study of the age-associated changes in the Citric Acid cycle. Our approach provides a comprehensive time-resolved multi-omics and modeling resource for studying the metabolic changes during normal aging in .

Multi-Omics and Genome-Scale Modeling Reveal a Metabolic Shift During  Aging.

The unfolded protein response of the endoplasmic reticulum (UPR) is a crucial mediator of secretory pathway homeostasis. Expression of the spliced and active form of the UPR transcription factor XBP-1, XBP-1s, in the nervous system triggers activation of the UPR in the intestine of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) through release of a secreted signal, leading to increased longevity. We find that expression of XBP-1s in the neurons or intestine of the worm strikingly improves proteostasis in multiple tissues, through increased clearance of toxic proteins. To identify the mechanisms behind this enhanced proteostasis, we conducted intestine-specific RNA-seq analysis to identify genes upregulated in the intestine when XBP-1s is expressed in neurons. This revealed that neuronal XBP-1s increases the expression of genes involved in lysosome function. Lysosomes in the intestine of animals expressing neuronal XBP-1s are more acidic, and lysosomal protease activity is higher. Moreover, intestinal lysosome function is necessary for enhanced lifespan and proteostasis. These findings suggest that activation of the UPR in the intestine through neuronal signaling can increase the activity of lysosomes, leading to extended longevity and improved proteostasis across tissues.

Neuronal XBP-1 Activates Intestinal Lysosomes to Improve Proteostasis in C. elegans.

Interpretation of metabolomics data in the context of biological pathways is important to gain knowledge about underlying metabolic processes. In this chapter we present methods to analyze genome-scale models (GSMs) and metabolomics data together. This includes reading and mining of GSMs using the SBTab format to retrieve information on genes, reactions, and metabolites. Furthermore, the chapter showcases the generation of metabolic pathway maps using the Escher tool, which can be used for data visualization. Lastly, approaches to constrain flux balance analysis (FBA) by metabolomics data are presented.

Using Genome-Scale Metabolic Networks for Analysis, Visualization, and Integration of Targeted Metabolomics Data.

Compromising mitochondrial fusion or fission disrupts cellular homeostasis; however, the underlying mechanism(s) are not fully understood. The loss of C. elegans fzo-1MFN results in mitochondrial fragmentation, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and the induction of the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt). We performed a genome-wide RNAi screen for genes that when knocked-down suppress fzo-1MFN(lf)-induced UPRmt. Of the 299 genes identified, 143 encode negative regulators of autophagy, many of which have previously not been implicated in this cellular quality control mechanism. We present evidence that increased autophagic flux suppresses fzo-1MFN(lf)-induced UPRmt by increasing mitochondrial membrane potential rather than restoring mitochondrial morphology. Furthermore, we demonstrate that increased autophagic flux also suppresses UPRmt induction in response to a block in mitochondrial fission, but not in response to the loss of spg-7AFG3L2, which encodes a mitochondrial metalloprotease. Finally, we found that blocking mitochondrial fusion or fission leads to increased levels of certain types of triacylglycerols and that this is at least partially reverted by the induction of autophagy. We propose that the breakdown of these triacylglycerols through autophagy leads to elevated metabolic activity, thereby increasing mitochondrial membrane potential and restoring mitochondrial and cellular homeostasis.

Olivia Casanueva

Babraham institute

High-Throughput Quantitative RT-PCR in Single and Bulk C. elegans Samples Using Nanofluidic Technology

Worm-align and Worm_CP, Two Open-Source Pipelines for Straightening and Quantification of Fluorescence Image Data Obtained from Caenorhabditis elegans