Authors: Svensson MJ; Larsson J
Abstract: Thioredoxins are proteins that have thiol-reducing activity and a characteristic conserved active site (WCGPC). They have several documented functions, e.g. roles in defences against oxidative stress and as electron donors for ribonucleotide-reductase. In Drosophila melanogaster there are three "classical" thioredoxins with the conserved active site: deadhead, ThioredoxinT and Thioredoxin-2. Here, we report the creation of null-mutations in the Thioredoxin-2 (Trx-2) gene. Characterization of two Trx-2 mutants indicated that Trx-2 affects the lifespan of D. melanogaster, and is involved in the organism's oxidative stress protection system. We found that the mutants have a shorter lifespan than wild-type flies, and thioredoxin double mutant flies showed lower tolerance to oxidative stress than wild-type flies, while flies carrying multiple copies of a Trx-2 rescue construct showed higher tolerance. These findings suggest that Trx-2 has modest or redundant functions in Drosophila physiology under unstressed conditions, but could be important during times of environmental stress.
Keywords: Analysis of Variance; Animals; Animals, Genetically Modified; Blotting, Western; Crosses, Genetic; Drosophila/*genetics; Drosophila Proteins; Female; Gene Deletion; Genes, Insect; Homozygote; Longevity/*genetics; Male; Membrane Proteins/*genetics/*physiology; Oxidative Stress/*genetics; Thioredoxins/*genetics|
Journal: Hereditas Volume: 144 Issue: 1 Pages: 25-32 Date: June 15, 2007 PMID: 17567437 |
Svensson MJ, Larsson J (2007) Thioredoxin-2 affects lifespan and oxidative stress in Drosophila. Hereditas 144: 25-32.
Comment on This Data Unit