A regulatory mechanism of zinc homeostasis involving the mediator subunit MDT-15 and the transcription factor HIZR-1
department or school: Medicine, Faculty of
department or school: Medical Genetics, Department of
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCV
creator: Shomer, Naomi
issued: 2019-03-31T00:00:00
issued: 2018
related degree: Master of Science - MSc
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: Zinc is a metal that is essential for cell function as it plays important catalytic and structural roles in many proteins; however, excess zinc causes cell stress. Cadmium has similar chemical properties as zinc but is toxic and not required in biological systems. To maintain homeostasis, the levels of zinc detoxification genes are modulated through transcriptional regulation, which allows organisms to adapt to environmental changes. The key players in transcriptional regulation are Transcription Factors (TF), regulatory DNA elements, and coregulators such as the Mediator complex. Mediator subunit MDT-15 is required for the regulation of stress response genes in Caenorhabditis elegans, including zinc responsive genes. However, MDT-15’s physiological role and its regulatory partners in zinc homeostasis and cadmium stress response remain unknown. In this study, I investigated which TFs collaborate with MDT-15 to regulate zinc homeostasis and cadmium stress response genes, and I also examined its physiological role in zinc homeostasis. I used a fusion of the promoter of the zinc and cadmium responsive gene cdr-1 to Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) and real-time PCR analysis as sensitive readouts to study metal response mechanisms. I found that cdr-1 induction by zinc and cadmium depends on Mediator subunits mdt-15 and cdk-8, and the TFs high zinc activated nuclear receptor-1 (hizr-1) and elt-2. Using genetic interaction studies, I found that HIZR-1 and MDT-15 function is codependent, and showed, using the yeast-two-hybrid system, that the two proteins interact physically. Interestingly, this physical association was enhanced by micromolar zinc and cadmium. To assess zinc storage, I studied the gut granules of C. elegans, which store and replenish zinc to maintain homeostasis, and found storage defects in mdt-15 and hizr-1 mutants. Lastly, I explored the regulatory conservation of this regulatory mechanism. The Insulin Secretory Granules in pancreatic β-cells require app…
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/64873
note: A REGULATORY MECHANISM OF ZINC HOMEOSTASIS INVOLVING THE MEDIATOR SUBUNIT MDT-15 AND THE TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR HIZR-1 by Naomi Shomer B.Sc. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 2013 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES (Medical Genetics) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) March 2018 © Naomi Shomer, 2018 ii Abstract Zinc is a metal that is essential for cell function as it plays important catalytic and structural roles in many proteins; however, excess zinc causes cell stress. Cadmium has similar chemical properties as zinc but is toxic and not required in biological systems. To maintain homeostasis, the levels of zinc detoxification genes are modulated through transcriptional regulation, which allows organisms to adapt to environmental changes. The key players in transcriptional regulation are Transcription Factors (TF), regulatory DNA elements, and coregulators such as the Mediator complex. Mediator subunit MDT-15 is required for the regulation of stress response genes in Caenorhabditis elegans, including zinc responsive genes. However, MDT-15’s physiological role and its regulatory partners in zinc homeostasis and cadmium stress response remain unknown. In this study, I investigated which TFs collaborate with MDT-15 to regulate zinc homeostasis and cadmium stress response genes, and I also examined its physiological role in zinc homeostasis. I used a fusion of the promoter of the zinc and cadmium responsive gene cdr-1 to Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) and real-time PCR analysis as sensitive readouts to study metal response mechanisms. I found that cdr-1 induction by zinc and cadmium depends on Mediator subunits mdt-15 and cdk-8, and the TFs high zinc activated nuclear receptor-1 (hizr-1) and elt-2. Using genetic interaction studies, I found that HIZR-1 and MDT-15 function is codependent, and showed, using the yeast-two-hybrid system, that the…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
date issued: 2018-05
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0364387
language: eng
degree discipline: Medical Genetics
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
rights URI: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
scholar level: Graduate
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/64873