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Ohtsuka H, Shimasaki T, Aiba H. Low-Molecular Weight Compounds that Extend the Chronological Lifespan of Yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2024; 8:e2400138. [PMID: 38616173 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202400138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Yeast is an excellent model organism for research for regulating aging and lifespan, and the studies have made many contributions to date, including identifying various factors and signaling pathways related to aging and lifespan. More than 20 years have passed since molecular biological perspectives are adopted in this research field, and intracellular factors and signal pathways that control aging and lifespan have evolutionarily conserved from yeast to mammals. Furthermore, these findings have been applied to control the aging and lifespan of various model organisms by adjustment of the nutritional environment, genetic manipulation, and drug treatment using low-molecular weight compounds. Among these, drug treatment is easier than the other methods, and research into drugs that regulate aging and lifespan is consequently expected to become more active. Chronological lifespan, a definition of yeast lifespan, refers to the survival period of a cell population under nondividing conditions. Herein, low-molecular weight compounds are summarized that extend the chronological lifespan of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe, along with their intracellular functions. The low-molecular weight compounds are also discussed that extend the lifespan of other model organisms. Compounds that have so far only been studied in yeast may soon extend lifespan in other organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hokuto Ohtsuka
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Takafumi Shimasaki
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Aiba
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
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Schulze A, Zimmermann A, Kainz K, Egger NB, Bauer MA, Madeo F, Carmona-Gutierrez D. Assessing chronological aging in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Methods Cell Biol 2023; 181:87-108. [PMID: 38302246 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2022.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Chronological age represents the time that passes between birth and a given date. To understand the complex network of factors contributing to chronological lifespan, a variety of model organisms have been implemented. One of the best studied organisms is the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which has greatly contributed toward identifying conserved biological mechanisms that act on longevity. Here, we discuss high- und low-throughput protocols to monitor and characterize chronological lifespan and chronological aging-associated cell death in S. cerevisiae. Included are propidium iodide staining with the possibility to quantitatively assess aging-associated cell death via flow cytometry or qualitative assessments via microscopy, cell viability assessment through plating and cell counting and cell death characterization via propidium iodide/AnnexinV staining and subsequent flow cytometric analysis or microscopy. Importantly, all of these methods combined give a clear picture of the chronological lifespan under different conditions or genetic backgrounds and represent a starting point for pharmacological or genetic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adina Schulze
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Andreas Zimmermann
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, Graz, Austria; BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Katharina Kainz
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Nadine B Egger
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Maria A Bauer
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Frank Madeo
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, Graz, Austria; BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria; Field of Excellence BioHealth, University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
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Bhardwaj V, Sharma N. Absence of the Rpb9 subunit of RNA polymerase II reduces the chronological life span in fission yeast. J Basic Microbiol 2022; 62:900-910. [PMID: 35618649 DOI: 10.1002/jobm.202200036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Fission yeast RNA polymerase II consists of 12 subunits, Rpb1-Rpb12. Among these subunits, Rpb9 is the only subunit whose absence does not cause lethality under optimum growth conditions in fission yeast. However, an rpb9 null fission yeast mutant exhibits a slow-growth phenotype under optimum growth conditions and a defect in survival under environmental and genotoxic stress conditions. To further gain an understanding of its physiological roles, in the present study we have elucidated the role of the Rpb9 subunit in chronological aging using fission yeast as the model organism. Our results provide evidence that the absence of Rpb9 reduces the chronological life span in fission yeast. Our data further shows that lack of Rpb9 in fission yeast causes oxidative stress sensitivity and accumulation of reactive oxygen species during the stationary phase. Our domain mapping experiments have demonstrated that the Rpb9 region encompassing its amino-terminal zinc finger domain and the central linker region is important for the role of Rpb9 in chronological aging. Finally, we also show that expression of the budding yeast or human Rpb9 ortholog can functionally complement the reduced chronological life span phenotype of the fission yeast rpb9 deletion mutant. Taken together, our study has identified a new role of the Rpb9 subunit in chronological aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaibhav Bhardwaj
- University School of Biotechnology (USBT), Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, New Delhi, India
| | - Nimisha Sharma
- University School of Biotechnology (USBT), Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, New Delhi, India
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Romila CA, Townsend S, Malecki M, Kamrad S, Rodríguez-López M, Hillson O, Cotobal C, Ralser M, Bähler J. Barcode sequencing and a high-throughput assay for chronological lifespan uncover ageing-associated genes in fission yeast. MICROBIAL CELL (GRAZ, AUSTRIA) 2021; 8:146-160. [PMID: 34250083 PMCID: PMC8246024 DOI: 10.15698/mic2021.07.754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Ageing-related processes are largely conserved, with simple organisms remaining the main platform to discover and dissect new ageing-associated genes. Yeasts provide potent model systems to study cellular ageing owing their amenability to systematic functional assays under controlled conditions. Even with yeast cells, however, ageing assays can be laborious and resource-intensive. Here we present improved experimental and computational methods to study chronological lifespan in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We decoded the barcodes for 3206 mutants of the latest gene-deletion library, enabling the parallel profiling of ~700 additional mutants compared to previous screens. We then applied a refined method of barcode sequencing (Bar-seq), addressing technical and statistical issues raised by persisting DNA in dead cells and sampling bottlenecks in aged cultures, to screen for mutants showing altered lifespan during stationary phase. This screen identified 341 long-lived mutants and 1246 short-lived mutants which point to many previously unknown ageing-associated genes, including 46 conserved but entirely uncharacterized genes. The ageing-associated genes showed coherent enrichments in processes also associated with human ageing, particularly with respect to ageing in non-proliferative brain cells. We also developed an automated colony-forming unit assay to facilitate medium- to high-throughput chronological-lifespan studies by saving time and resources compared to the traditional assay. Results from the Bar-seq screen showed good agreement with this new assay. This study provides an effective methodological platform and identifies many new ageing-associated genes as a framework for analysing cellular ageing in yeast and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catalina A. Romila
- Institute of Healthy Ageing and Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- These authors contributed equally
| | - StJohn Townsend
- Institute of Healthy Ageing and Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, Molecular Biology of Metabolism Laboratory, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Michal Malecki
- Institute of Healthy Ageing and Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- Current address: Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Poland
| | - Stephan Kamrad
- Institute of Healthy Ageing and Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, Molecular Biology of Metabolism Laboratory, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Current address: Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Biochemistry, Germany
| | - María Rodríguez-López
- Institute of Healthy Ageing and Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Olivia Hillson
- Institute of Healthy Ageing and Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Cristina Cotobal
- Institute of Healthy Ageing and Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Markus Ralser
- The Francis Crick Institute, Molecular Biology of Metabolism Laboratory, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Biochemistry, Germany
| | - Jürg Bähler
- Institute of Healthy Ageing and Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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Legon L, Rallis C. Genome-wide screens in yeast models towards understanding chronological lifespan regulation. Brief Funct Genomics 2021; 21:4-12. [PMID: 33728458 PMCID: PMC8834652 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elab011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular models such as yeasts are a driving force in biogerontology studies. Their simpler genome, short lifespans and vast genetic and genomics resources make them ideal to characterise pro-ageing and anti-ageing genes and signalling pathways. Over the last three decades, yeasts have contributed to the understanding of fundamental aspects of lifespan regulation including the roles of nutrient response, global protein translation rates and quality, DNA damage, oxidative stress, mitochondrial function and dysfunction as well as autophagy. In this short review, we focus on approaches used for competitive and non-competitive cell-based screens using the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, for deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying chronological ageing. Automation accompanied with appropriate computational tools allowed manipulation of hundreds of thousands of colonies, generation, processing and analysis of genome-wide lifespan data. Together with barcoding and modern mutagenesis technologies, these approaches have allowed to take decisive steps towards a global, comprehensive view of cellular ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luc Legon
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Charalampos Rallis
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
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Abstract
The budding yeast is a valuable model system for discovering molecular mechanisms underlying cellular aging. This is due to the ease of performing genetic manipulations in yeast and the vast number of evolutionarily conserved genes that have been found to regulate cellular health and lifespan from yeast to humans. Lifespan assays are an essential tool for examining the effects of these genes on longevity. There are two ways lifespan is measured in yeast: replicative lifespan (RLS) and chronological lifespan (CLS). RLS is a measure of how many divisions an individual mother cell will undergo. CLS measures the length of time nondividing cells survive. Previously described CLS assays involved diluting and plating cells of a culture and counting the colonies that arose. While effective, this method is both time and labor intensive. Here, we describe a method for a high-throughput rapid CLS assay that is both time- and cost-efficient.
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