The mobilization of stored lipids is essential for adaptation to nutrient limitation. While cellular stress responses protect proteins from damage, their contribution to the regulation of lipid metabolism remains incompletely understood.
In this project, we investigate how the heat shock transcription factor HSF-1 coordinates lipid storage and starvation-induced lipolysis in Caenorhabditis elegans. We focus on the interplay between HSF-1, the sirtuin SIR-2.1 and microRNA-mediated regulation of the lipase ATGL-1. Using genetic manipulations, lipid measurements and gene expression analyses, we aim to determine how nutritional status, proteotoxic stress and aging influence this regulatory network and the balance between protein homeostasis and energy mobilization.
Responsible: Milán Somogyvári