Abstract
Dicarbonyl/L-xylulose reductase (DCXR) converts l-xylulose into xylitol, and reduces various α-dicarbonyl compounds, thus performing a dual role in carbohydrate metabolism and detoxification. In this study, we identified DHS-21 as the only DCXR ortholog in Caenorhabditis elegans. The dhs-21 gene is expressed in various tissues including the intestine, gonadal sheath cells, uterine seam (utse) cells, the spermathecal-uterus (sp-ut) valve and on the plasma membrane of spermatids. Recombinant DHS-21 was shown to convert L-xylulose to xylitol using NADPH as a cofactor. Dhs-21 null mutants of C. elegans show defects in longevity, reproduction and egg-laying. Knock-down of daf-16 and elt-2 transcription factors affected dhs-21 expression. These results suggest that DHS-21 is a bona fide DCXR of C. elegans, essential for normal life span and reproduction.
Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Animals, Genetically Modified
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Biocatalysis
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Blotting, Western
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Caenorhabditis elegans / enzymology*
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Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics
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Caenorhabditis elegans / growth & development
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism*
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Female
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Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
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Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
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Kinetics
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Longevity / genetics
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Male
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Microscopy, Fluorescence
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Mutation
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NADP / metabolism
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RNA Interference
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Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
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Reproduction / genetics
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Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
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Sugar Alcohol Dehydrogenases / genetics
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Sugar Alcohol Dehydrogenases / metabolism*
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Xylitol / metabolism
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Xylulose / metabolism
Substances
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
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Recombinant Proteins
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Green Fluorescent Proteins
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NADP
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Xylulose
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Sugar Alcohol Dehydrogenases
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L-xylulose reductase
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Xylitol