O-GlcNAcylation of SKN-1 modulates the lifespan and oxidative stress resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans

Sci Rep. 2017 Mar 8:7:43601. doi: 10.1038/srep43601.

Abstract

In C. elegans, the transcription factor skinhead-1 (SKN-1), the ortholog of human NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2), plays important roles in oxidative stress defense and aging processes. It has been documented that the activity of SKN-1 is regulated by its phosphorylation modification. However, whether other posttranslational modifications of SKN-1 affect its function remains unclear to date. Here we report, for the first time, that SKN-1 is O-GlcNAcylated at Ser470 and Thr493 by O-GlcNActransferase OGT-1. By generating the double mutations of Ser470/Thr493 in the wild type and skn-1(zu67) worms, respectively, we found that disruption of O-GlcNAc modification on SKN-1 repressed the accumulation of SKN-1 in the intestinal nuclei, and decreased the activities of SKN-1 in modulating lifespan and oxidative stress resistance. Moreover, under oxidative stress, SKN-1 was highly O-GlcNAcylated, resulting in the decrease of GSK-3-mediated phosphorylation at Ser483 adjacent to the O-GlcNAcylated residues (Ser470 and Thr493). These data suggest that O-GlcNAcylation of SKN-1 is crucial for regulating lifespan and oxidative stress resistance via the crosstalk with its phosphorylation in C. elegans. These findings have important implications for studying the functions of O-GlcNAcylation on Nrf-2 in human aging-related diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / physiology*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Glycosylation
  • Longevity*
  • Models, Biological
  • Mutation
  • Oxidative Stress*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • skn-1 protein, C elegans