Intracellular signaling network that controls lifespan in response to nutrient availability.

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H03224
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 44010:Cell biology-related
• Research Institution: Nara Institute of Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Shiozaki Kazuhiro 奈良先端科学技術大学院大学, 事務局, 学長 (00610015)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: mTORC1 / 栄養 / 分裂酵母

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Limited nutrient uptake extends lifespan in diverse organisms. The mechanistic Target Of Rapamycin (mTOR), a nutrient-responsive protein kinase that controls cellular metabolism, is believed to be one of the major regulators of longevity. Using fission yeast as a model system, we have demonstrated that mTOR regulates chronological lifespan through the transcriptional regulator Maf1. Our study has also identified novel mechanisms that control the activity substrate recognition of mTORC1.

Free Research Field

分子細胞生物学、酵母遺伝学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

わが国を含む先進国の多くで高齢化が進む中、寿命を左右する要因に対する関心はこれまでになく高い。食餌制限に寿命延長効果があることは、酵母から哺乳類に至る多様な生物種で報告されており、本研究では遺伝学的操作の容易な分裂酵母をモデルとして、栄養に応答する細胞内因子 mTORC1が寿命を制御する分子メカニズムの一端を明らかにした。本研究で得られた知見を基盤に、ヒトを含む高等生物における栄養と寿命の関係の理解が進むものと期待される。