title: Extension of life-span in Caenorhabditis elegans by a diet lacking coenzyme Q.
abstract: The isoprenylated benzoquinone coenzyme Q is a redox-active lipid essential for electron transport in aerobic respiration. Here, we show that withdrawal of coenzyme Q (Q) from the diet of wild-type nematodes extends adult life-span by approximately 60%. The longevity of clk-1, daf-2, daf-12, and daf-16 mutants is also extended by a Q-less diet. These results establish the importance of Q in life-span determination. The findings suggest that Q and the daf-2 pathway intersect at the mitochondria and imply that a concerted production coupled with enhanced scavenging of reactive oxygen species contributes to the substantial life-span extension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Box 951569, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. larsen@chem.ucla.edu
authors.forename: Pamela L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: Catherine F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Clarke
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005285:Fermentation; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007814:Larva / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D008136:Longevity; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010641:Phenotype; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C104339:CLK-1 protein, C elegans; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; C410905:DAF-12 protein, C elegans; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D014157:Transcription Factors; C108831:daf-16 protein, C elegans; D014451:Ubiquinone; C030778:ubiquinone 8; C107483:DAF-2 protein, C elegans; D011972:Receptor, Insulin; C030571:ubiquinone 9