Independent and additive effects of glutamic acid and methionine on yeast longevity.
It is established that glucose restriction extends yeast chronological and replicative lifespan, but little is known about the influence of amino acids on yeast lifespan, although some amino acids were reported to delay aging in rodents. Here we show that amino acid composition greatly alters yeast chronological lifespan. We found that non-essential amino acids (to yeast) methionine and glutamic acid had the most significant impact on yeast chronological lifespan extension, restriction of methionine and/or increase of glutamic acid led to longevity that was not the result of low acetic acid production and acidification in aging media. Remarkably, low methionine, high glutamic acid and glucose restriction additively and independently extended yeast lifespan, which could not be further extended by buffering the medium (pH 6.0). Our preliminary findings using yeasts with gene deletion demonstrate that glutamic acid addition, methionine and glucose restriction prompt yeast longevity through distinct mechanisms. This study may help to fill a gap in yeast model for the fast developing view that nutrient balance is a critical factor to extend lifespan.
Food Science and Technology Programme, Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore ; National University of Singapore (Suzhou) Research Institute, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
Ziyun
Z
Wu
Lixia
L
Song
Shao Quan
SQ
Liu
Dejian
D
Huang
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D018533:Biomass; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004357:Drug Synergism; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008715:Methionine / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015003:Yeasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
D000596:Amino Acids; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D008715:Methionine; C512912:GCN2 protein, S cerevisiae; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases