Recovery from an acute infection in C. elegans requires the GATA transcription factor ELT-2.
Abstract
The mechanisms involved in the recognition of microbial pathogens and activation of
the immune system have been extensively studied. However, the mechanisms involved
in the recovery phase of an infection are incompletely characterized at both the cellular
and physiological levels. Here, we establish a Caenorhabditis elegans-Salmonella enterica
model of acute infection and antibiotic treatment for studying biological changes
during the resolution phase of an infection. Using whole genome expression profiles
of acutely infected animals, we found that genes that are markers of innate immunity
are down-regulated upon recovery, while genes involved in xenobiotic detoxification,
redox regulation, and cellular homeostasis are up-regulated. In silico analyses demonstrated
that genes altered during recovery from infection were transcriptionally regulated
by conserved transcription factors, including GATA/ELT-2, FOXO/DAF-16, and Nrf/SKN-1.
Finally, we found that recovery from an acute bacterial infection is dependent on
ELT-2 activity.
Type
Journal articleSubject
AnimalsCaenorhabditis elegans
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
Computer Simulation
Disease Models, Animal
GATA Transcription Factors
Immunity, Innate
Inactivation, Metabolic
Infection
Salmonella enterica
Transcriptome
Wound Healing
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/9200Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1371/journal.pgen.1004609Publication Info
Head, Brian; & Aballay, Alejandro (2014). Recovery from an acute infection in C. elegans requires the GATA transcription factor
ELT-2. PLoS Genet, 10(10). pp. e1004609. 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004609. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/9200.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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Show full item recordScholars@Duke
Alejandro Aballay
Adjunct Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
Our laboratory uses genetic and functional genomic methodologies to study the genetic
basis of innate immunity using C. elegans and mammalian systems. Recent studies from
our laboratory highlight the importance of the nervous system in the regulation of
innate immune responses. Using a genetic approach we were able to demonstrate that
specific neurons can regulate innate immunit

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