Symbol: pha-4 Name: defective PHArynx development 4 Entrez gene ID: 180357 Ensembl gene ID: F38A6.1 Species: Worm (Taxid: 6239) Functional description: Acts as a transcription factor required for formation of the pharyngeal primordium. Binds to the consensus sequence 5'- T[AG]TT[TG][AG][TC]-3' with variations of the sequence affecting onset of target gene expression. Activates a wide array of pharyngeal genes including ceh-22 and myo-2 and represses ectodermal genes lin-26 and elt-3, ensuring pharyngeal cell fate. Required for recruitment of htz-1 to a subset of pharyngeal promoters to ensure gene activation and also acts synergistically with tbx-2 in pharyngeal development. Acts in the regulation of diet-restriction-mediated longevity by increasing expression of sod-1, sod-2, sod-4 and sod-5 but not sod-3. [UniProt] Observation: pha-4 is required for multiple forms of DR. RNAi of pha-4 completely cancels out the lifespan extension of eat-2 mutation. Mutants of pha-4 do not respond to bacterial DR. Therefore, loss of pha-4 completely blocks the response to varying food concentration. Moreover, pha-4 expression is increased in response to DR in wild-type. pha-4 overexpression increases longevity of wild-type only slightly, but significant that of daf-16 mutants. The response to DR involves the PHA-4-dependent expression of sod-1, sod-2 and sod-5. Reduction of pha-4 does not suppress the long lifespan of daf-2 mutants or animals with defective electron transport chain [17476212]. IF significantly extends lifespan of pha-4 [19079239]. sDR extends lifespan of mutants with a temperature sensitive allele of pha-4 or pha-4 RNAi knockdown, but not daf-16 RNAi [19239417]. PHA-4 may play a role in the life-extending effects of dietary restriction. RNAi of pha-4 decreases lifespan of wild-type worms, but not of daf-2 mutants or of animals with defective electron transport chains. Interventions: Assays: Organismal Lifespan Classification: Aging Relevance Analysis/Source: Homologs Orthologs Edit \ Update (Admin) | Delete |
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