Neurosecretory control of aging in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Authors: Ailion, M; Inoue, T; Weaver, C I; Holdcraft, R W; Thomas, J H

Abstract: In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, an insulin receptor signaling pathway regulates adult life span and developmental arrest at the dauer larval stage. Here we show that the unc-64 and unc-31 genes also function in this pathway. These two genes are involved in mediating Ca2+-regulated secretion. Mutations in unc-64 and unc-31 increase adult life span and cause constitutive dauer formation. Both phenotypes are suppressed by mutations in daf-16, which also suppresses other mutations in this pathway. We present evidence that the site of action of unc-64 is neuronal, suggesting that a neurosecretory signal regulates life span and dauer formation.

Keywords: Aging/*physiology; Animals; Antigens, Surface/*genetics; Caenorhabditis elegans/*physiology; *Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; *Calcium-Binding Proteins; Gene Expression Regulation; Helminth Proteins/*genetics; Mutation; Nerve Tissue Proteins/*genetics; Neurosecretory Systems/*physiology; Receptor, Insulin/*physiology; Syntaxin 1; Transcription Factors/genetics
Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
Volume: 96
Issue: 13
Pages: 7394-7
Date: June 23, 1999
PMID: 10377425
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Citation:

Ailion, M, Inoue, T, Weaver, C I, Holdcraft, R W, Thomas, J H (1999) Neurosecretory control of aging in Caenorhabditis elegans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 96: 7394-7.


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