Genetic Analyses of Lifespan Control in C. elegans

描述（由申请人提供）：每个人都会衰老，许多疾病 对人类的影响，如癌症，与衰老有关。因此，理解 衰老的调节也可能有助于阐明 老年人对癌症等疾病的易感性。Caenorhabditis elegans 是研究衰老调节的极好生物体。 基因分析已经表明，胰岛素/类IGF激素控制 系统调节蠕虫的老化。然而，该系统的许多组件 尚未被确认。因此，额外寿命的表征 控制基因应该增加对调控途径的理解， 蠕虫的衰老速度EMS诱变的长寿突变体 凯尼恩小组以前进行的寿命筛选将被表征 希望能找到控制寿命的新分子。此外，一些 从筛网分离的长寿蠕虫表现出感觉缺陷。然而，在这方面， 关于蠕虫是如何传播的还知之甚少的感觉系统控制着它的寿命， 因此将是本研究的重点，以提供令人兴奋的洞察力的作用， 环境对动物的调节作用的寿命，这应该导致一个 更好地了解衰老的机制。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Everyone ages, and many diseases that affect humans, such as cancer, are correlated with aging. Thus, understanding the regulation of aging may also help elucidate the causes behind the predisposition of older humans to diseases like cancer. Caenorhabditis elegans is an excellent organism in which to investigate the regulation of aging. Genetic analyses have already shown that an insulin/lGF-like hormonal control system regulates aging in the worm. However, many components of this system have not been identified. Thus, the characterization of additional lifespan control genes should increase the understanding of the pathways that regulate the rate of aging in worms. Long-lived mutants from the EMS mutagenesis lifespan screen previously performed by the Kenyon group will be characterized in the hope of finding new molecules that control lifespan. Furthermore, some long-lived worms isolated from the screen exhibit sensory defects. However, little is still known on how the worm?s sensory system controls its lifespan, and thus will be a focus of this study to provide exciting insight on the role of the environment on regulating an animal?s lifespan, which should lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms of aging.