Natural variation in the sequestosome-related gene, sqst-5, underlies zinc homeostasis in Caenorhabditis elegans

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008986
• Publication Date: 2020-11-11T18:44:01Z
• Authors: Kathryn S. Evans; Stefan Zdraljevic; Lewis Stevens; Kimberly Collins; Robyn E. Tanny; Erik C. Andersen
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; 0303 health sciences; Quantitative Trait Loci; Chromosome Mapping; Genetic Variation; Zinc Fingers; QH426-470; 16. Peace & justice; 3. Good health; Zinc; 03 medical and health sciences; Genetics; Animals; Homeostasis; Caenorhabditis elegans; Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; Research Article; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing

Zinc is an essential trace element that acts as a co-factor for many enzymes and transcription factors required cellular growth development. Altering intracellular zinc levels can produce dramatic effects ranging from cell proliferation to death. To avoid such fates, cells have evolved mechanisms handle both excess deficiency of zinc. homeostasis largely maintained via transporters, permeable channels, other zinc-binding proteins. Variation in these proteins might affect their ability interact with zinc, leading either increased sensitivity or resistance natural fluctuations the environment. We leverage power roundworm nematode Caenorhabditis elegans tractable metazoan model quantitative genetics identify genes could underlie variation responses found laboratory-adapted strain (N2) resistant isolate Hawaii (CB4856) sensitive micromolar amounts exogenous supplementation. Using panel recombinant inbred lines, we identified two large-effect trait loci (QTL) on left arm chromosome III center V are associated responses. validated refined QTL using near-isogenic lines (NILs) naturally occurring deletion sqst-5 , sequestosome-related gene, high this relatively common across strains within species resistance. Our results offer possible mechanism how organisms respond environment varies among individuals.