Publication Date:
2009-08-29
Description:
The study of starvation-resistant biological programs has elucidated numerous mechanisms influencing aging. Here we present the discovery and characterization of starvation-induced adult reproductive diapause (ARD) in Caenorhabditis elegans. ARD differs from the C. elegans dauer diapause in that it enables sexually mature adults to delay reproductive onset 15-fold and extend total adult life span at least threefold. The effectiveness of ARD requires apoptotic death of the entire germ line, except for a small population of protected germline stem cells (GSCs). When feeding is resumed, surviving GSCs regenerate a new germ line capable of offspring production near the level of nonstarved animals. The starvation-sensing nuclear receptor NHR-49 is required for ARD entry and recovery. Our findings establish mechanisms for preserving stem cell potency and reproductive potential during prolonged starvation.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Notes: 〈/span〉Angelo, Giana -- Van Gilst, Marc R -- GM080895-02/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ -- R01 DK079273/DK/NIDDK NIH HHS/ -- RDK079273A/PHS HHS/ -- New York, N.Y. -- Science. 2009 Nov 13;326(5955):954-8. doi: 10.1126/science.1178343.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Author address: 〈/span〉Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Record origin:〈/span〉 〈a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19713489" target="_blank"〉PubMed〈/a〉
Keywords:
Aging
;
Animals
;
Apoptosis
;
Caenorhabditis elegans/embryology/genetics/*growth & development/*physiology
;
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins/genetics/*physiology
;
Caspases/genetics/physiology
;
Embryonic Development
;
Germ Cells/cytology/*physiology
;
Larva/growth & development/physiology
;
Longevity
;
Mutation
;
Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/genetics/*physiology
;
Reproduction
;
Signal Transduction
;
Starvation
;
Stem Cells/*physiology
;
Stress, Physiological
Print ISSN:
0036-8075
Electronic ISSN:
1095-9203
Topics:
Biology
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Computer Science
,
Medicine
,
Natural Sciences in General
,
Physics
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