Drosophila longevity is not affected by heterochromatin-mediated gene silencing.
Two highly conserved histone deacetylases, Sir2 and Rpd3, have been linked to caloric restriction and the extension of longevity. Because the Drosophila forms of each protein can silence genes in either euchromatin or heterochromatin, we determined whether longevity extension is mediated by silencing in the latter domain. When silencing was increased and decreased using mutations that affect heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1), but have no direct effect upon Sir2 or Rpd3, lifespan was unaffected. Heterochromatin-mediated gene silencing was then modulated without directly influencing HP1 as well as the deacetylases, again yielding no effect on lifespan. Mortality rates were unchanged by all manipulations, indicating that euchromatic targets are likely to be the effectors of deacetylase-mediated longevity extension in Drosophila [corrected]
Frankel
Stewart
S
Department of Pediatrics and Boyer Center for Molecular Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, 295 Congress Avenue, New Haven, CT 06536, USA.
Rogina
Blanka
B
D000818:Animals; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000235:genetics; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D050684:E2F Transcription Factors; D005260:Female; D020868:Gene Silencing / Q000502:physiology*; D005838:Genotype; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D056284:Histone Deacetylase 1; D006655:Histone Deacetylases / Q000502:physiology; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D037761:Sirtuins / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D050684:E2F Transcription Factors; C496298:E2f1 protein, Drosophila; D006570:Heterochromatin; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C452193:heterochromatin protein 1, Drosophila; C447899:Sirt2 protein, Drosophila; D037761:Sirtuins; C512966:HDAC1 protein, Drosophila; D056284:Histone Deacetylase 1; D006655:Histone Deacetylases