Guest lecture by Dr Jennifer Tullet (University of Kent, UK).

SKN-1B/Nrf: A sexually dimorphic switch to control appetite behaviour
Appetite and satiety responses are key to the health and survival of an organism. These food-related behaviours require complex integration of external sensory and internal cues and dysregulation of these can result in metabolic disorders including obesity and its related co-morbidities. Previous studies have shown that in the nematode worm, C. elegans, a neuronal transcription factor called SKN-1B regulates appetite and satiety behaviours as well as controlling metabolic and mitochondrial homeostasis (Tataridas-Pallas et al., 2021 PLoS Genetics). SKN-1B is the worm ortholog to the mammalian NF-E2 related transcription factors (Nrfs) and acts in two ASI chemosensory neurons. Our aim is to understand how neuronal SKN-1B/Nrfs act to control appetite and feeding behaviour over the life course and how this impacts metabolic health. We have uncovered a clear sexual dimorphism to SKN-1B mediated behaviour, mitochondrial and metabolic phenotypes which has potential to inform how we approach and treat appetite related disorders in men and women.