Fig. 2. Dsup expression provides protection against oxidative stress in C. elegans.

(A) Fraction of surviving animals of the indicated genotype following treatment of L4 larvae stage worms (n = 50 in triplicate) with 200 mM of paraquat (methyl viologen). h, hours. Data are means ± SEM. P values were determined using two-tailed Student’s t test. (B) Fraction of surviving worms of the indicated genotype (n = 100, in triplicate) treated with 1 mM of H₂O₂ for 30 min at 20°C. Data are means ± SEM, P values were determined using two-tailed Student’s t test. (C) Number of surviving animals after exposure to the Fenton’s reaction adapted for C. elegans (58). Data are means ± SEM, n = 50, P values were determined using two-tailed Student’s t test. (D) Dsup expression delays DAF-16 activation induced by arsenite exposure. DAF-16 activation ratio was assessed by measuring the fraction of animals with DAF-16::GFP nuclear versus cytoplasmic localization exposed to 1 mM of arsenite. Representative pictures of cytoplasmic and nuclear localization are shown on the left (bar, 100 μm). Data are means ± SEM. P values were determined using two-tailed Student’s t test, n = 30, in triplicate. (E) The HyPer biosensor indicates a reduced overoxidized ratio (HyPer Ratio) in Dsup upon treatment with arsenite. Representative picture of a whole worm is shown on the left for 488- and 405-nm wavelength (green and blue channel respectively); bar, 100 μm. The center panel shows a representative worm pharynx at 488 nm after arsenite treatment. The right panel depicts the graphical representation of the 405 over 488 nm ratio in N2 wild-type and Dsup worms upon arsenite treatment (n = 7). Data are means ± SEM, P values were determined using two-tailed Student’s t test. *P < 0.1, **P < 0.05, ***P < 0.001.