Adult C. elegans XBP-1s dependent transcriptional changes in the nervous system and intestine

The spliced and active transcription factor XBP-1s is the key mediator of the IRE-1 branch of the unfolded protein response of the endoplasmic reticulum (UPR-ER). When over-expressed neuronally in C. elegans, it coordinates increased longevity and enhanced ER stress resistance, through the activation of the UPR-ER in the intestine. In this study, we have expanded on our previous study (BioProject: PRJNA482604), which studied the transcriptomic effects of neuronal XBP-1s in the intestinal tissue. We have now isolated fluorescently-labelled neuronal cells from neuronal xbp-1s-expressing worms to characterise the transcriptomic changes that take place cell autonomously in the nervous system to understand how neurons coordinate this transcellular UPR-ER response. Furthermore, we have isolated fluorescently-labelled intestinal cells from intestinal xbp-1s-expressing worms to characterise the transcriptomic changes that take place cell autonomously in the intestine.