Hidden response to amino acid depletion -Ecl1 family gene-dependent extension of lifespan-

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K15730
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 38020:Applied microbiology-related
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Ohtsuka Hokuto 名古屋大学, 創薬科学研究科, 助教 (10632151)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 分裂酵母 / 飢餓応答 / アミノ酸 / ecl1 / 寿命 / 経時寿命 / 細胞寿命 / 老化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, amino acid starvation induces ecl1+, which regulates the chronological lifespan. Under amino acid starvation conditions, this induction contributes to adapt appropriately to starvation conditions, and avoid immediate death from hunger. We also found that the extension of chronological lifespan in starvation conditions is closely related to the suppression of the ribosome, which is an intracellular protein production plant. Some of the mechanisms for extending the lifespan of living organisms are conserved from the microorganism yeast to higher organisms, and it is becoming clear that starvation conditions are involved in extending the lifespan of higher organisms. It is expected that the microbial starvation response mechanism is the basis of the lifespan control mechanism of higher organisms.

Free Research Field

分子微生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年、細胞寿命の制御を行う複数の因子が発見され、微生物の細胞寿命制御に関わる因子が、高等生物でも寿命制御に関わることもわかってきているが、未だ寿命制御の詳細なメカニズムはわかっていない。本研究では、モデル生物、分裂酵母において細胞寿命を制御する遺伝子ecl1が、アミノ酸飢餓時に発現し、細胞を飢餓から守り、細胞寿命の延長に貢献することを発見した。飢餓時に、細胞寿命が延長することは、環境変化を待つことにより、新しく栄養豊富な環境に細胞がさらされる機会が増すことに繋がる。微生物において飢餓時に細胞寿命を延長することは、自己の遺伝情報を後世に残すのに大きく貢献すると考えられる。