Project description:Caloric restriction (CR) is the only non-genetic intervention to retard aging and increase longevity in a variety of species. It is important to understand the fundamental mechanism by which CR extends lifespan that remains elusive. Owing to well-established genomic tools and convenience of culture system, we used a single cell organism, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to clarify the mechanisms of CR. In order to identify genes responsible for CR-mediated longevity, we performed microarray experiments across the longevity assurance time-points. Since the CR-treated cells obtained the longevity potential around 12 hours after inoculation and the strength of potential gradually increased up to 48 hours, we concluded that the changes across these time-points must be a critical need for assurance of longevity by CR. For preparation of total RNA, yeast cells under control (2% glucose) and CR (0.5% glucose) conditions were harvested at 12h, 18h, 24h and 48h after inoculation. After total RNA extraction, we performed Affymetrix Yeast GeneChip 2.0 array for biological triplicate repeats according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Project description:Caloric restriction (CR) is the only non-genetic intervention to retard aging and increase longevity in a variety of species. It is important to understand the fundamental mechanism by which CR extends lifespan that remains elusive. Owing to well-established genomic tools and convenience of culture system, we used a single cell organism, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to clarify the mechanisms of CR. In order to identify genes responsible for CR-mediated longevity, we performed microarray experiments across the longevity assurance time-points.
Project description:Dietary restriction (also known as caloric/calorie restriction; CR) extends the lifespan of species from all three eukaryotic kingdoms. The restriction of the diet interferes directly with the aging process by triggering a tightly controlled genetic program where specific sets of genes are either upregulated downreguled. We used microarray-technology to detail the global program of gene expression underlying the anti-aging effect of dietary restriction and identified distinct classes of up- and down-regulated genes. In order to apply dietary restriction in budding yeast we cultured cells on a reduced glucose medium (0.5% vs. 2.0%), which is known as moderate DR regimen. We then compared mRNA expression of yeast cells cultured under dietary restricted (0.5% glucose) and ad libitum (2.0% glucose) conditions.
Project description:Studies using yeast have advanced our understanding of both replicative and chronological aging, leading to the discovery of longevity genes that have homologues in higher eukaryotes. Chronological lifespan in yeast is conventionally defined as the lifespan of a non-dividing cell. To date, this parameter has only been estimated under calorically restricted (CR) conditions, mimicked by starvation. Since post-mitotic cells in higher eukaryotes are rarely calorically-restricted, we sought to develop an alternative experimental system where non-dividing yeast would age chronologically, in the presence of excess nutrients. We report here on a system wherein alginate-encapsulated yeast are packed in a pH- and temperature-controlled bioreactor, then continuously fed non-limiting substrate for extended periods of time. We present demographic, physiological and genomic evidence indicating that after ~120 hrs, immobilized cells cease dividing, remain metabolically very active and retain >95% viability for periods of 17 days. Over the same time interval, starved planktonic cells, cultured using the same media, and also controlled for temperature and pH, retained < 1 % viability in both aerobic and anaerobic cultures,. Unlike planktonic yeast, continuously-fed immobilized cells hyper-accumulate glycogen. FACS analysis of SYTOX green-stained yeast confirms that immobilized cells completely arrest within 5 days of culture, and unlike starving planktonic cells, remain free thereafter of replicative stress and are non-apoptotic. This unusual state is supported by a global gene expression profile that is stable over time, repeatable across replicate experiments, and altogether distinct from planktonic cells cultured in the presence and absence of limiting nutrients. DNA expression profiling, performed here for the very first time on immobilized cells, reveals that glycolytic genes and their trans-acting regulatory elements are upregulated, as are genes involved in remodeling the cell wall and resisting stress; by contrast, many genes that promote cell cycle progression and carry out oxidative metabolism are repressed. Stress resistance transcription factor MSN4 and its upstream effector RIM15 are conspicuously upregulated in the immobilized state, suggesting that nutrient-sensing pathways may play a role in cell viability and longevity when yeast are immobilized and placed in prolonged culture under calorically-unrestricted conditions. The cell cycle arrest in the immobilized state is mediated by RIM 15. Over the time-course of our experiments, well-fed, non-diving immobilized cells do not appear to age. Keywords: comparison of growth states and a time course of immobilized cells Nine growth conditions or time points with two to four replicates each
Project description:Aging and age-related neurodegeneration are among the major challenges because of the progressive increase in the number of elder people in the wold population. Nutrition, which has important long-term consequences for health, is actually considered a means to prevent diseases and to reach a healthy aging. Here we investigate the role of Vigna unguiculata beans on senescence by using Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Drosophila melanogaster as model systems. Aqueous extract, mainly containing starch, proteins and amino acids, extends chronological lifespan in yeast cells, showing a remarkable synergistic effect in combination with caloric restriction. The extension of yeast longevity requires both the anti-aging Snf1/AMPK and the pro-aging Ras2/PKA pathways. A significant marked increase of lifespan was observed also in fruit flies supplemented with the V. unguiculata extract, which is accompanied by the increased expression of FOXO, NOTCH, SIRT1 and heme oxygenase (HO) genes, already known to be required for the extension of fruit fly longevity. α-synuclein forms toxic intracellular protein inclusions in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and actually preventing α-synuclein self-assembly has become one of the most promising approaches for the treatment of this neurodegenerative disorder. Here, we report that in vitro aggregation of -synuclein, as well as its toxicity in yeast and in neuroblastoma cells, are strongly decreased in the presence of bean extract. In addition, in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of PD that expresses α-synuclein, Vigna unguiculate extract substantially reduces the number of the age-dependent degeneration of the cephalic dopaminergic neurons. Overall, our data support the role of Vigna unguiculata beans as a functional food, worth to be further explored in order to develop lead molecules for therapeutic intervention in age-related disorders.
Project description:The chronological lifespan (CLS) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is defined as the number days that non-dividing cells remain viable, typically in stationary phase cultures or in water. CLS is extended by restricting glucose in the starting cultures, and is considered a form of caloric restriction (CR). Through a previous genetic screen our lab determined that deleting components of the de novo purine biosynthesis pathway also significantly increased CLS. Significant similarities in gene expression profiles between calorie restricted WT cells and a non-restricted ade4M-bM-^HM-^F mutant suggested the possibility of common gene expression biomarkers of all chronologically long lived cells that could also provide insights into general mechanisms of lifespan extension. We have identified additional growth conditions that extend CLS of WT cells, including supplementation of the media with isonicotinamide (INAM), a known sirtuin activator, or by supplementation with a concentrate collected from the expired media of a calorie restricted yeast culture, presumably due to an as yet unidentified longevity factor. Using these varied methods to extend CLS, we compared gene expression profiles in the aging cells (at day 8) to identify functionally relevant biomarkers of longevity. Nineteen genes were differentially regulated in all 4 of the long-lived populations relative to wild type. Of these 19 genes, viable haploid deletion mutants were available for 16 of them, and 12 were found to have a significant impact on CLS. Duplicate cultures were grown to saturation in SC media cultures, aged, and then harvested on day 8. The deletion mutant ade4M-bM-^HM-^F as well as WT cells treated with 25 mM isonicotinamide, calorie restricted (0.5% glucose), or treated with expired media concentrate from previously calorie restricted cultures. These 4 conditions were then compared to a wild-type (WT) strain. Total RNA was isolated and used for microarray hybridizations onto Affymetrix Yeast 2.0 Gene arrrays.
Project description:Sustained caloric restriction (CR) extends lifespan in animal models but the mechanism and primary tissue target(s) have not been identified. Gene expression changes with aging and CR were examined in both heart and subcutaneous white adipose tissue (WAT) of F344 male rats using Affymetrix® RAE 230 arrays and validated by qRT-PCR on 18 genes. In heart, age- associated changes but not CR-associated changes in old. In WAT, genes were identified where the aging change is suppressed by CR (candidate markers of healthy aging) and those affected by CR but not normal aging (candidate longevity assurance genes). 10-21% of age-associated genes were regulated in common between tissues. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed coordinate small magnitude changes in ribosomal, proteasomal, and mitochondrial genes with similarities between heart and WAT. Further analysis revealed PPARgamma as a potential upstream regulator of altered gene expression in old CR WAT. These results demonstrate a reduced mRNA response to CR with age in heart relative to WAT. In WAT, we identified candidate CR mimetic targets and candidate markers of healthy aging. These data suggest a role for subcutaneous WAT in the effects of CR and strengthen the role for PPAR signaling in aging and CR while indicating that the effects of CR in heart can occur independent of global changes in mRNA level. Keywords: Aging Caloric Restriction
Project description:The present study aims to explore the role of Rim15 in both physiology and genome wide expression in S. cerevisiae under severe caloric restriction. Non-growing but metabolically active cultures of S. cerevisiae are of major interest for application in industry and as model systems for aging in higher eukaryotes. Using retentostat cultivations, almost non-growing but metabolic active cultures can be obtained resulting from the severe caloric restriction, yet not starvation, yeast experiences. Rim15 plays an important role in several nutrient sensing pathways and is involved in activating stress response and glycogen accumulation upon nutrient shortage. To investigate the role of Rim15 in the extreme robustness and glycogen accumulation of anaerobic retentostat cultures, a rim15 deletion strain is compared with its parental strain under anaerobic calorie restriction on both physiology and transcriptome. Rim15 is described as essential for G0 entry and glycogen accumulation in yeast during diauxic shift and stationary phase. Anaerobic retentostat cultures display many stationary phase characteristics, including increased expression levels of Rim15 target genes, suggesting an important role for Rim15 under these conditions. Comparing a rim15 deletion strain and its parental strain revealed both on transcriptome level and physiology indeed a major role in the acquired robustness, glycogen accumulation, but also maintenance of viability and cell cycle arrest. The severe caloric restriction, but not starving, conditions applied together with a thorough physiological and transcriptome analysis of the cultures shows that Rim15 is essential in fine-tuning cell cycle progression with glucose availability under extreme growth-limiting conditions. To investigate the impact of rim15 deletion under severe calorie restricted conditions, transcriptome of a S. cerevisiae rim15 deletion mutant was monitored during anaerobic retentostat cultivation. Five time points were used, one in the starting point of the retentostat (T0 = chemostat) and four during the course of the retentostat (time points 2, 9, 16 and 20 days). Culture triplicates were performed for T0 in chemostat, while two independent cultures were run for retentostat.