Very low ATP/ADP ratios with aging of the natural death senescence mutant of Neurospora crassa.
The natural death (nd) mutant of the fungus Neurospora crassa, unlike the wild-type, undergoes an aging process, which leads to the cessation of growth. It is shown here that the ATP/ADP ratio of the mutant declines with age to about 3:1 whereas other strains of Neurospora in the same growth medium maintain ratios of about 8 to 9:1. The decline in ATP/ADP ratio is not caused by the cessation of growth of the mutant. The results suggest, rather, that the cessation of growth may be caused, in part or in whole, by the defect in energy metabolism that produces the low ATP/ADP ratio. They support the hypothesis that defects in mitochondrial energy metabolism may be an important contributing factor to the aging process.
Pall
M L
ML
Program in Genetics and Cell Biology, Washington State University, Pullman 99164-4350.
D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate / Q000378:metabolism*; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D009491:Neurospora / Q000254:growth & development*; D009492:Neurospora crassa / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism
D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate