ROS and cGMP signaling modulate persistent escape from hypoxia in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The ability to detect and respond to acute oxygen (O2) shortages is indispensable to aerobic life. The molecular mechanisms and circuits underlying this capacity are poorly understood. Here, we characterize the behavioral responses of feeding Caenorhabditis elegans to approximately 1% O2. Acute hypo...

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Main Authors: Lina Zhao, Lorenz A Fenk, Lars Nilsson, Niko Paresh Amin-Wetzel, Nelson Javier Ramirez-Suarez, Mario de Bono, Changchun Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2022-06-01
Series:PLoS Biology
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3001684&type=printable
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author Lina Zhao
Lorenz A Fenk
Lars Nilsson
Niko Paresh Amin-Wetzel
Nelson Javier Ramirez-Suarez
Mario de Bono
Changchun Chen
author_facet Lina Zhao
Lorenz A Fenk
Lars Nilsson
Niko Paresh Amin-Wetzel
Nelson Javier Ramirez-Suarez
Mario de Bono
Changchun Chen
author_sort Lina Zhao
collection DOAJ
description The ability to detect and respond to acute oxygen (O2) shortages is indispensable to aerobic life. The molecular mechanisms and circuits underlying this capacity are poorly understood. Here, we characterize the behavioral responses of feeding Caenorhabditis elegans to approximately 1% O2. Acute hypoxia triggers a bout of turning maneuvers followed by a persistent switch to rapid forward movement as animals seek to avoid and escape hypoxia. While the behavioral responses to 1% O2 closely resemble those evoked by 21% O2, they have distinct molecular and circuit underpinnings. Disrupting phosphodiesterases (PDEs), specific G proteins, or BBSome function inhibits escape from 1% O2 due to increased cGMP signaling. A primary source of cGMP is GCY-28, the ortholog of the atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) receptor. cGMP activates the protein kinase G EGL-4 and enhances neuroendocrine secretion to inhibit acute responses to 1% O2. Triggering a rise in cGMP optogenetically in multiple neurons, including AIA interneurons, rapidly and reversibly inhibits escape from 1% O2. Ca2+ imaging reveals that a 7% to 1% O2 stimulus evokes a Ca2+ decrease in several neurons. Defects in mitochondrial complex I (MCI) and mitochondrial complex I (MCIII), which lead to persistently high reactive oxygen species (ROS), abrogate acute hypoxia responses. In particular, repressing the expression of isp-1, which encodes the iron sulfur protein of MCIII, inhibits escape from 1% O2 without affecting responses to 21% O2. Both genetic and pharmacological up-regulation of mitochondrial ROS increase cGMP levels, which contribute to the reduced hypoxia responses. Our results implicate ROS and precise regulation of intracellular cGMP in the modulation of acute responses to hypoxia by C. elegans.
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spelling doaj-art-8798e230f3cc4fc8b7ab44cf3cfcb9e32025-08-20T02:32:56ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Biology1544-91731545-78852022-06-01206e300168410.1371/journal.pbio.3001684ROS and cGMP signaling modulate persistent escape from hypoxia in Caenorhabditis elegans.Lina ZhaoLorenz A FenkLars NilssonNiko Paresh Amin-WetzelNelson Javier Ramirez-SuarezMario de BonoChangchun ChenThe ability to detect and respond to acute oxygen (O2) shortages is indispensable to aerobic life. The molecular mechanisms and circuits underlying this capacity are poorly understood. Here, we characterize the behavioral responses of feeding Caenorhabditis elegans to approximately 1% O2. Acute hypoxia triggers a bout of turning maneuvers followed by a persistent switch to rapid forward movement as animals seek to avoid and escape hypoxia. While the behavioral responses to 1% O2 closely resemble those evoked by 21% O2, they have distinct molecular and circuit underpinnings. Disrupting phosphodiesterases (PDEs), specific G proteins, or BBSome function inhibits escape from 1% O2 due to increased cGMP signaling. A primary source of cGMP is GCY-28, the ortholog of the atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) receptor. cGMP activates the protein kinase G EGL-4 and enhances neuroendocrine secretion to inhibit acute responses to 1% O2. Triggering a rise in cGMP optogenetically in multiple neurons, including AIA interneurons, rapidly and reversibly inhibits escape from 1% O2. Ca2+ imaging reveals that a 7% to 1% O2 stimulus evokes a Ca2+ decrease in several neurons. Defects in mitochondrial complex I (MCI) and mitochondrial complex I (MCIII), which lead to persistently high reactive oxygen species (ROS), abrogate acute hypoxia responses. In particular, repressing the expression of isp-1, which encodes the iron sulfur protein of MCIII, inhibits escape from 1% O2 without affecting responses to 21% O2. Both genetic and pharmacological up-regulation of mitochondrial ROS increase cGMP levels, which contribute to the reduced hypoxia responses. Our results implicate ROS and precise regulation of intracellular cGMP in the modulation of acute responses to hypoxia by C. elegans.https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3001684&type=printable
spellingShingle Lina Zhao
Lorenz A Fenk
Lars Nilsson
Niko Paresh Amin-Wetzel
Nelson Javier Ramirez-Suarez
Mario de Bono
Changchun Chen
ROS and cGMP signaling modulate persistent escape from hypoxia in Caenorhabditis elegans.
PLoS Biology
title ROS and cGMP signaling modulate persistent escape from hypoxia in Caenorhabditis elegans.
title_full ROS and cGMP signaling modulate persistent escape from hypoxia in Caenorhabditis elegans.
title_fullStr ROS and cGMP signaling modulate persistent escape from hypoxia in Caenorhabditis elegans.
title_full_unstemmed ROS and cGMP signaling modulate persistent escape from hypoxia in Caenorhabditis elegans.
title_short ROS and cGMP signaling modulate persistent escape from hypoxia in Caenorhabditis elegans.
title_sort ros and cgmp signaling modulate persistent escape from hypoxia in caenorhabditis elegans
url https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3001684&type=printable
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