Chemosensation and longevity in C. elegans

化学线索，如气味和味觉，是最有名的调节动物的行为。有趣的是，这样的 化学线索不仅调节行为，还调节其他类型的关键生理过程， 中心blog虽然行为的化学感觉调节已被广泛表征，但很少有努力 一直致力于研究化学信号如何调节寿命。食物是主要的环境因素 会影响衰老饮食限制（DR）是延长所有人寿命的最有效手段之一。 测试有机体饮食限制（DR）如何促进长寿一直是深入研究的主题; 然而，根本的机制远不清楚。以前的工作主要集中在描述 食物营养素如何调节寿命需要注意的是，除了营养成分外， 也存在于食物中。一个明显的例子是与食物有关的气味。然而，尽管机制 营养信号调节寿命的机制已被广泛描述，但对营养信号调节寿命的机制知之甚少。 食物气味在长寿中的作用因此，在很大程度上仍然不清楚是否，在多大程度上，以及如何食物， 气味调节寿命。目前还不清楚化学感受系统是如何参与的。因为气味是不可或缺的 食品成分，解决这个问题将有助于我们更好地了解如何DR 促进长寿。这也将帮助我们了解化学感受系统如何调节寿命。C. 线虫是研究衰老的一个很好的遗传模型。到目前为止，几乎所有主要的长寿途径都是第一次 在无脊椎动物模型中发现，如蠕虫，苍蝇和酵母，随后被发现 在哺乳动物中进化保守。这一点，再加上寿命短（约3周）和基因简单， 使C. elegans是研究衰老的一个非常有价值的模型。我们发现食物气味调节DR寿命 in C.化学感觉系统在调节食物来源的气味的作用中起着关键作用 关于DR寿命。在这里，我们建议调查潜在的神经和遗传机制。为此，我们 将使用神经科学和衰老研究工具的组合。由于长寿机制往往是 从蠕虫到哺乳动物的进化保守，拟议的工作将提供新的见解DR- 依赖于其他生物的寿命。

Chemical cues, such as odors and tastants, are best known to regulate animal behavior. Interestingly, such chemical cues not just regulate behavior, but also other types of critical physiological processes such as longevity. While chemosensory regulation of behavior has been extensively characterized, much less effort has been devoted to investigating how chemical cues regulate longevity. Food is a primary environmental factor that affects aging. Dietary restriction (DR) represents one of the most effective means to extend lifespan in all tested organisms. How dietary restriction (DR) promotes longevity has been a subject of intensive research; however, the underlying mechanisms are far from clear. Previous effort has mostly focused on characterizing how food nutrients regulate longevity. It should be noted that in addition to nutrients, other components are also found in food. One notable example is the odors associated with food. However, though the mechanisms by which nutrient signaling regulates lifespan has been extensively characterized, much less is known about the role of food odors in longevity. As such, it remains largely unclear whether, to what extent, and how food odors regulates longevity. It is also unclear how the chemosensory system is involved. As odors are integral components of food, addressing this question will help us to achieve a better understanding of how DR promotes longevity. It will also help us to understand how the chemosensory system regulates longevity. C. elegans is a nice genetic model for aging research. Thus far, nearly all the major longevity pathways were first discovered in invertebrate models such as worms, flies and yeast, and subsequently were found to be evolutionarily conserved in mammals. This, together with a short lifespan (~3 weeks) and facile genetics, makes C. elegans a highly valuable model for aging research. We found that food odors regulate DR longevity in C. elegans, and that the chemosensory system plays a key role in mediating the effect of food-derived odors on DR longevity. Here, we propose to investigate the underlying neural and genetic mechanisms. To do so, we will use a combination of neuroscience and aging research tools. As longevity mechanisms tend to be evolutionarily conserved from worms to mammals, the proposed work will provide novel insights into DR- dependent longevity in other organisms.