Pro-Aging Effects of Glucose Signaling through a G Protein-Coupled Glucose Receptor in Fission Yeast
2009

How Glucose Signaling Affects Aging in Yeast

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Author Information

Author(s): Roux Antoine E., Leroux Alexandre, Alaamery Manal A., Hoffman Charles S., Chartrand Pascal, Ferbeyre Gerardo, Rokeach Luis A.

Primary Institution: Université de Montréal

Hypothesis

Does glucose provoke a pro-aging effect as a result of its metabolic activity or by activating signaling pathways?

Conclusion

Glucose signaling through the Git3/PKA pathway plays a significant role in regulating the life span of fission yeast.

Supporting Evidence

  • Lowering glucose concentration increased life span and oxidative stress resistance in yeast.
  • Loss of the Git3 glucose receptor increased life span even without affecting glucose consumption.
  • Constitutive activation of the Gα subunit accelerated aging in yeast.
  • Calorie restriction improved respiration and reduced reactive oxygen species production.

Takeaway

Eating too much sugar can make you age faster, but if you eat less sugar, you can live longer. Scientists found that a special sugar sensor in yeast helps control how long they live.

Methodology

The study used the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe to investigate the effects of glucose concentration on chronological life span and oxidative stress resistance.

Limitations

The study primarily focuses on a single model organism, which may not fully represent the complexities of aging in higher organisms.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.02

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pgen.1000408

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