The evolutionarily conserved longevity determinants HCF-1 and SIR-2.1/SIRT1 collaborate to regulate DAF-16/FOXO. Author Gizem Rizki, Terri Iwata, Ji Li, Christian Riedel, Colette Picard, Max Jan, Coleen Murphy, Siu Lee Publication Year 2011 Type Journal Article Abstract The conserved DAF-16/FOXO transcription factors and SIR-2.1/SIRT1 deacetylases are critical for diverse biological processes, particularly longevity and stress response; and complex regulation of DAF-16/FOXO by SIR-2.1/SIRT1 is central to appropriate biological outcomes. Caenorhabditis elegans Host Cell Factor 1 (HCF-1) is a longevity determinant previously shown to act as a co-repressor of DAF-16. We report here that HCF-1 represents an integral player in the regulatory loop linking SIR-2.1/SIRT1 and DAF-16/FOXO in both worms and mammals. Genetic analyses showed that hcf-1 acts downstream of sir-2.1 to influence lifespan and oxidative stress response in C. elegans. Gene expression profiling revealed a striking 80% overlap between the DAF-16 target genes responsive to hcf-1 mutation and sir-2.1 overexpression. Subsequent GO-term analyses of HCF-1 and SIR-2.1-coregulated DAF-16 targets suggested that HCF-1 and SIR-2.1 together regulate specific aspects of DAF-16-mediated transcription particularly important for aging and stress responses. Analogous to its role in regulating DAF-16/SIR-2.1 target genes in C. elegans, the mammalian HCF-1 also repressed the expression of several FOXO/SIRT1 target genes. Protein-protein association studies demonstrated that SIR-2.1/SIRT1 and HCF-1 form protein complexes in worms and mammalian cells, highlighting the conservation of their regulatory relationship. Our findings uncover a conserved interaction between the key longevity determinants SIR-2.1/SIRT1 and HCF-1, and they provide new insights into the complex regulation of FOXO proteins. Keywords Animals, Signal Transduction, Transcription, Genetic, Humans, Evolution, Molecular, Transcription Factors, RNA, Small Interfering, Stress, Physiological, Caenorhabditis elegans, Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins, Longevity, Forkhead Transcription Factors, HEK293 Cells, Host Cell Factor C1, Sirtuin 1, Sirtuins Journal PLoS Genet Volume 7 Issue 9 Pages e1002235 Date Published 09/2011 Alternate Journal PLoS Genet. Google ScholarBibTeXEndNote X3 XML