Autophagy-Independent Function of ATG-18 Is Essential for Gonadal Longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans - PubMed
8 hours ago
- #C. elegans
- #Autophagy
- #Longevity
- The study investigates tissue-specific roles of autophagy-related genes (atgs) in promoting longevity induced by germline ablation (gonadal longevity) in C. elegans.
- Neuronal or intestinal knockdown of atg-18, but not other atgs, abolishes gonadal longevity, despite effective inhibition of autophagy in these tissues, suggesting an autophagy-independent function of ATG-18.
- Germline deficiency triggers upregulation of ATG-18 in neurons and the intestine, as revealed through proteomics analysis and screening.
- ATG-18 interacts with PCK-2, a phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, and PCK-2 upregulation in the intestine of germline-deficient animals depends on ATG-18's non-autophagic function.
- PCK-2 overexpression-mediated longevity requires ATG-18 but not ATG-2, indicating ATG-18's role is independent of autophagy regulation.
- The findings uncover a novel autophagy-independent role for ATG-18 in regulating lifespan in response to germline signals, enhancing understanding of conserved longevity mechanisms.