Distinct activities of the germline and somatic reproductive tissues in the regulation of Caenorhabditis elegans' longevity.
The two parts of the Caenorhabditis elegans reproductive system, the germ cells and the somatic reproductive tissues, each influence the life span of the animal. Removing the germ cells increases longevity, and this life span extension requires the somatic gonad. Here we show that the somatic gonad and the germ cells make distinct contributions to life span determination. The life span increase produced by loss of the germ cells requires the DAF-16/FOXO transcription factor. In response to germ-cell removal, DAF-16 accumulates in nuclei. We find that the somatic gonad is not required for DAF-16 nuclear accumulation or for the increased stress resistance that is produced by germ-cell removal. The somatic gonad is required, however, for expression of specific DAF-16 target genes. DAF-16 is known to be activated by reduced insulin/IGF-1 signaling in C. elegans. In certain insulin/IGF-1-pathway mutants, the somatic gonad is not required for germ-cell removal to extend life span. Our genetic experiments suggest that these mutations reduce insulin/IGF-1 signaling below a critical threshold level. At these low levels of insulin/IGF-1 signaling, factors normally provided by the somatic gonad are no longer needed for germ-cell removal to increase the expression of DAF-16 target genes.
Yamawaki
Tracy M
TM
Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158-2517, USA.
Arantes-Oliveira
Nuno
N
Berman
Jennifer R
JR
Zhang
Peichuan
P
Kenyon
Cynthia
C
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D006066:Gonads / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D008136:Longevity / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D021381:Protein Transport; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012098:Reproduction; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D007328:Insulin; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C108831:daf-16 protein, C elegans; C525107:Sod-3 protein, C elegans; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; C107483:DAF-2 protein, C elegans; D011972:Receptor, Insulin