BUCK INSTITUTE FOR AGE RESEARCH
Grant: $795,400 - National Institutes of Health - Sep. 29, 2009
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Award Description: Aging remains one of the most complex biological mysteries of modern bioscience. This proposal examines how modulation of protein translation plays a key role in determining lifespan. This hypothesis is based on findings from various groups including ours that inhibition of a number of genes that regulate mRNA translation extend lifespan. Inhibition of ifg-1 (worm homologue of eIF4G, a scaffold protein for the eIF4F complex that initiates protein synthesis) during adulthood is sufficient for lifespan extension, but its downregulation during development leads to larval arrest (Pan et al.,2007). Inhibition of ifg-1 also results in increased stress resistance and decreased fecundity, suggesting that modulating mRNA translation mediates tradeoffs between somatic maintenance and growth that influence longevity. These results are consistent with the antagonistic pleiotropy theory of aging, which proposes that genes with essential roles during development may negatively influence adult lifespan (Williams, 1957). We have established the methodology proposed in the parent award to this application to undertake translation profiling that can identify changes mRNA translation in C. elegans. Using this approach we have identified differentially translated genes upon inhibition of ifg-1. We observe that levels of ifg-1 are reduced under conditions of nutrient limitation and that inhibition of ifg-1 leads to an upregulation of stress response genes by a posttranscriptional mechanism of gene regulation. We hypothesize that ifg-1 acts as a switch in regulating mRNA translation between development and somatic maintenance, providing a novel post transcriptional mechanism to mediate antagonistic pleiotropic effects that influence aging. In light of our findings we propose the following Specific Aims: 1) Investigating mechanisms of posttranscriptional gene expression by creating translational fusion GFP reporters for differentially translated genes. 2) Translational profiling under nutrient limitation stress. 3) Characterization of genes that are differentially translated under nutrient limitation stress.
Project Description: The budget period for this award began 9/30/09.
Jobs Summary: N/A (Total jobs reported: 0)
Project Status: Not Started
This award's data was last updated on Sep. 29, 2009. Help expand these official descriptions using the wiki below.
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