Regulation of the longevity response to temperature by thermosensory neurons in Caenorhabditis elegans.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Many ectotherms, including C. elegans, have shorter life spans at high temperature than at low temperature. High temperature is generally thought to increase the "rate of living" simply by increasing chemical reaction rates. In this study, we questioned this view and asked whether the temperature dependence of life span is subject to active regulation.

Results

We show that thermosensory neurons play a regulatory role in the temperature dependence of life span. Surprisingly, inhibiting the function of thermosensory neurons by mutation or laser ablation causes animals to have even shorter life spans at warm temperature. Thermosensory mutations shorten life span by decreasing expression of daf-9, a gene required for the synthesis of ligands that inhibit the DAF-12, a

SUBMITTER: Lee SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2868911 | biostudies-literature | 2009 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature