The Perception of Mitochondrial Stress in Receiving Cells

最近发现，神经细胞中ETC信号的减少足以延长C. 优雅女装。研究还发现，这种效应依赖于脑组织中一种重要成分的活性。 线粒体应激反应或UPRmt。然而，目前还不清楚 这种寿命延长发生在哪一种情况下，或者信号是如何发送和感知的。此外，关键的作用是 线粒体在细胞内的动态平衡和能量产生表明它可能作为一种反应性 随机的内在或外在变量的传感器，能够影响有机体对疾病的敏感性。 因此，线粒体内的变化也可能是在这种情况下表现出的新特性的原因 对随机变化作出反应的系统，和/或可以在协调 非线粒体应激反应通路。一种预测，即基因改造将降低能力 因为线粒体功能的随机变化最终会对生物体的适应性产生负面影响。 这样的假设与最近的证据一致，这些证据表明有害的突变实际上会减少。 基因表达对小环境变化(表型丧失)的敏感性 健壮性)。另一个假设是，它可以预测UPRmt和应激反应之间的协方差 目前被认为在不同的监管网络中发挥作用的途径，并寻求发现潜在的 这种协变发生的机制。

It was recently discovered that reduced ETC signaling in neuronal cells is sufficient to extend the lifespan of C. elegans. It was also found that this effect is dependent upon the activity of an essential component of the mitochondrial stress response or UPRmt. It is not yet understood, however, the fundamental mechanisms by which this life span extension occurs or how the signal is sent and perceived. Moreover, the essential role that the mitochondrion has in cellular homeostasis and energy production suggests that it may act as a reactive sensor of random intrinsic or extrinsic variables capable of influencing an organism's susceptibility to disease. Changes within the mitochondria thus also might be responsible for the emergent properties displayed in such a system in response to stochastic changes, and/or may play a significant role in coordinating the activation of non-mitochondrial stress response pathways. A prediction that genetic modifications will decrease the capacity for stochastic variation in mitochondrial function will ultimately negatively affect the fitness of the organism. Such a hypothesis is in keeping with recent evidence suggesting that deleterious mutations actually decrease the sensitivity of gene expression in response to small environmental changes (a loss of phenotypic robustness). A further hypothesis is it may predict co-variance between the UPRmt and stress response pathways, currently thought to act in distinct regulatory networks, and seek to discover the potential mechanisms by which this co-variance occurs.