Calorie restriction in the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina

Does autophagy mediate age-dependent effect of dietary restriction responses in the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina?

Autophagy is a well-conserved catabolic process, involving the degradation of a cell's own components through the lysosomal/vacuolar machinery. Autophagy is typically induced by nutrient starvation and has a role in nutrient recycling, cellular differentiation, degradation and programmed cell death. Another common response in eukaryotes is the extension of lifespan through dietary restriction (DR). We studied a link between DR and autophagy in the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina, a multicellular model organism for ageing studies and mitochondrial deterioration. While both carbon and nitrogen restriction extends lifespan in P. anserina, the size of the effect varied with the amount and type of restricted nutrient. Natural genetic variation for the DR response exists. Whereas a switch to carbon restriction up to halfway through the lifetime resulted in extreme lifespan extension for wild-type P. anserina, all autophagy-deficient strains had a shorter time window in which ageing could be delayed by DR. Under nitrogen limitation, only PaAtg1 and PaAtg8 mediate the effect of lifespan extension; the other autophagy-deficient mutants PaPspA and PaUth1 had a similar response as wild-type. Our results thus show that the ageing process impinges on the DR response and that this at least in part involves the genetic regulation of autophagy.

Germline energetics, aging, and female infertility

The role of metabolism in ovarian aging is poorly described, despite the fact that ovaries fail earlier than most other organs. Growing interest in ovarian function is being driven by recent evidence that mammalian females routinely generate new oocytes during adult life through the activity of germline stem cells. In this perspective, we overview the female reproductive system as a powerful and clinically relevant model to understand links between aging and metabolism, and we discuss new concepts for how oocytes and their precursor cells might be altered metabolically to sustain or increase ovarian function and fertility in women.

Serum from calorie-restricted rats activates vascular cell eNOS through enhanced insulin signaling mediated by adiponectin

eNOS activation resulting in mitochondrial biogenesis is believed to play a central role in life span extension promoted by calorie restriction (CR). We investigated the mechanism of this activation by treating vascular cells with serum from CR rats and found increased Akt and eNOS phosphorylation, in addition to enhanced nitrite release. Inhibiting Akt phosphorylation or immunoprecipitating adiponectin (found in high quantities in CR serum) completely prevented the increment in nitrite release and eNOS activation. Overall, we demonstrate that adiponectin in the serum from CR animals increases NO• signaling by activating the insulin pathway. These results suggest this hormone may be a determinant regulator of the beneficial effects of CR.

Mild mitochondrial uncoupling and calorie restriction increase fasting eNOS, akt and mitochondrial biogenesis

Enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis promoted by eNOS activation is believed to play a central role in the beneficial effects of calorie restriction (CR). Since treatment of mice with dinitrophenol (DNP) promotes health and lifespan benefits similar to those observed in CR, we hypothesized that it could also impact biogenesis. We found that DNP and CR increase citrate synthase activity, PGC-1α, cytochrome c oxidase and mitofusin-2 expression, as well as fasting plasma levels of NO^• products. In addition, eNOS and Akt phosphorylation in skeletal muscle and visceral adipose tissue was activated in fasting CR and DNP animals. Overall, our results indicate that systemic mild uncoupling activates eNOS and Akt-dependent pathways leading to mitochondrial biogenesis.

Calorie restriction up-regulates iron and copper transport genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Calorie restriction (CR) is a non genetic intervention, known to confer longevity benefits across the various phyla from unicellular yeast to mammals. CR also invokes homeostatic responses similar to stress, however the sequence of molecular events leading to longevity is still illusive. In this study, we analysed the whole genome gene expression profile in response to CR, mutations mimicking CR, heat shock and H(2)O(2) from a gene ontology perspective. Our analysis revealed that mitochondrion is a common hub in the gene expression programme under these conditions and the electron transport chain (ETC) is a major player. Consequently the genes involved in the metal ion transport were also significantly up-regulated. We confirmed the results of the in silico analysis using quantitative real time PCR which showed up-regulation of genes involved in respiration and transport of iron and copper. The promoter activity of one of the representative genes, FET3, was also found to be higher upon calorie restriction. Altogether, our results indicate that upon calorie restriction the levels of iron and copper fall in cells, which elicits a transcriptional response up-regulating the genes involved in their uptake to maintain cellular homeostasis.

Effects of calorie restriction on life span of microorganisms

Calorie restriction (CR) in microorganisms such as budding and fission yeasts has a robust and well-documented impact on longevity. In order to efficiently utilize the limited energy during CR, these organisms shift from primarily fermentative metabolism to mitochondrial respiration. Respiration activates certain conserved longevity factors such as sirtuins and is associated with widespread physiological changes that contribute to increased survival. However, the importance of respiration during CR-mediated longevity has remained controversial. The emergence of several novel metabolically distinct microbial models for longevity has enabled CR to be studied from new perspectives. The majority of CR and life span studies have been conducted in the primarily fermentative Crabtree-positive yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe, but studies in primarily respiratory Crabtree-negative yeast and obligate aerobes can offer complementary insight into the more complex mammalian response to CR. Not only are microorganisms helping characterize a conserved cellular mechanism for CR-mediated longevity, but they can also directly impact mammalian metabolism as part of the natural gut flora. Here, we discuss the contributions of microorganisms to our knowledge of CR and longevity at the level of both the cell and the organism.