title: Enigma, a mitochondrial protein affecting lifespan and oxidative stress response in Drosophila.
abstract: Deregulation of energy metabolism by external interventions or mutations in metabolic genes can extend lifespan in a wide range of species. We describe mutations in Drosophila melanogaster that confer resistance to oxidative stress and display a longevity phenotype. These phenotypes are associated with molecular lesions in a hitherto uncharacterized gene we named Enigma. We show that Enigma encodes a mitochondrial protein with homology to enzymes of the beta-oxidation of fatty acids and that mutations in this locus affect lipid homeostasis. Our analysis provides further support to the notion that lipid metabolism may play a central role in metazoan lifespan regulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, 13th Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.
authors.forename: Philippos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mourikis
authors.forename: Gregory D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Hurlbut
authors.forename: Spyros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Artavanis-Tsakonas
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006720:Homozygote; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D060588:LIM Domain Proteins; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009154:Mutation; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D010269:Paraquat / Q000494:pharmacology; D010641:Phenotype; D034622:RNA Interference; D013347:Subcellular Fractions; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D060588:LIM Domain Proteins; D008055:Lipids; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; C484380:PDLIM7 protein, human; D014280:Triglycerides; C508785:egm protein, Drosophila; D010269:Paraquat; D010100:Oxygen