Transcription Factor ZTF-22 Regulates Oxidative Stress Responses in Caenorhabditis Elegans

Oxidative stress is caused when the balance between Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and detoxification enzymes is disturbed. In Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), gst-4 is an important detoxification enzyme that is activated by the SKN-1 transcription factor when the cell experiences oxidative stress. Our lab previously showed that SKN-1 is negatively regulated by BRAP-2 and brap-2 mutants show elevated levels of gst-4. Our lab performed RNAi screening and found that the knockdown of another transcription factor, ZTF-22, also enhanced gst-4 levels. Therefore, ZTF-22 was selected for further investigation in the context of oxidative stress. I found that loss of ZTF-22 caused an increased expression of gst-4, and sod-3. I also found that ztf-22 deletion caused lifespan extension, reduced survival under heat stress and increased survival under the ER stress. Therefore, ZTF-22 contributes to the oxidative stress response, but also plays biological roles in thermotolerance, longevity, and the ER stress response.