title: Folate status of gut microbiome affects Caenorhabditis elegans lifespan.
abstract: In a paper in BMC Biology Virk et al. show that Caenorhabditis elegans lifespan is extended in response to a diet of folate-deficient Escherichia coli. The deficiencies in folate biosynthesis were due to an aroD mutation, or treatment of E. coli with sulfa drugs, which are mimics of the folate precursor para-aminobenzoic acid. This study suggests that pharmacological manipulation of the gut microbiome folate status may be a viable approach to slow animal aging, and raises questions about folate supplementation.
authors: UCLA Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Molecular Biology Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors: Theresa P T
authors: TP
authors: Nguyen
authors: Catherine F
authors: CF
authors: Clarke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development*; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008136:Longevity / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid