Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Luc Legon, Charalampos Rallis
Summary: Cellular models such as yeasts, which have simpler genomes, shorter lifespans and abundant genetic resources, play an important role in biogerontology research. Yeasts have contributed to the understanding of fundamental aspects of lifespan regulation, including nutrient response, protein translation, DNA damage, oxidative stress, mitochondrial function and autophagy. The use of automation and computational tools has allowed for the manipulation and analysis of genome-wide lifespan data, leading to a comprehensive view of cellular ageing.
BRIEFINGS IN FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hokuto Ohtsuka, Takafumi Shimasaki, Hirofumi Aiba
Summary: This mini-review summarizes over 70 genes involved in the chronological lifespan of Schizosaccharomyces pombe and describes the signal transduction pathways affecting lifespan extension. These pathways and genes play important roles in regulating the chronological lifespan extension in S. pombe.
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hokuto Ohtsuka, Takuma Matsumoto, Takahiro Mochida, Takafumi Shimasaki, Masatoshi Shibuya, Yoshihiko Yamamoto, Hirofumi Aiba
Summary: Tschimganine inhibits growth and extends the chronological lifespan in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. However, its analog, Mochimganine, exhibits a significantly weaker growth inhibition effect while still being able to extend the lifespan.
BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hokuto Ohtsuka, Yoko Otsubo, Takafumi Shimasaki, Akira Yamashita, Hirofumi Aiba
Summary: The ecl family genes in Schizosaccharomyces pombe are positive regulators of chronological lifespan and involved in various biological processes such as nutritional starvation and stress resistance.
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ceren Seylan, Cagatay Tarhan
Summary: The antiaging properties of metformin have been extensively studied, showing that it prolongs the lifespan of fission yeast by affecting energy metabolism, reducing oxidative damage, and providing stress resistance. The effect of metformin on lifespan is related to glucose availability in the medium, and it also shows similar effects in glucose-free medium.
FEMS YEAST RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Mario G. Mirisola, Valter D. Longo
Summary: S. cerevisiae plays a crucial role as a model organism in understanding mammalian biochemistry and molecular biology. The study of its chronological lifespan provides insights into age-related damage and longevity extension. It also serves as a model system to study macromolecular and cellular damage leading to diseases and investigate the effects of nutrients and dietary regimens on stress resistance and longevity.
Review
Cell Biology
Hokuto Ohtsuka, Takafumi Shimasaki, Hirofumi Aiba
Summary: The mechanism of longevity control in unicellular organisms shows evolutionary conservation with higher multicellular organisms. Research on chronological lifespan of fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe has identified multiple compounds, nutrient restrictions, and genes that extend lifespan. These mechanisms involve nutritional response, stress responses, autophagy, and other pathways, suggesting a link between lifespan control and resource management in unicellular organisms.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Min Gong, Fengrui Zhang, Yinglei Miao, Junkun Niu
Summary: Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the colonic mucosa with unclear etiology and mechanisms. Due to the increasing incidence rate of UC worldwide, understanding its pathogenesis and finding therapeutic targets are urgently needed. Intestinal mucosal homeostasis is crucial for normal bowel function, and endogenous regulators such as heat shock family proteins play important roles in maintaining the balance and protecting against UC progression.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marianne E. Maresh, Panyue Chen, Tony R. Hazbun, Darci J. Trader
Summary: Long-lived rodents have shown elevated proteasome activity, while proteasome dysfunction is linked to shorter lifespan in transgenic mice. The impact of proteasome stimulators on yeast with impaired proteasome expression and wild-type yeast can be evaluated using developed techniques. Small molecule stimulators may have potential to increase chronological lifespan in eukaryotic model organisms.
Article
Plant Sciences
Kunliang Xie, Jinliang Guo, Shaoyu Wang, Wenjie Ye, Fengli Sun, Chao Zhang, Yajun Xi
Summary: This study identified the Hsf family in switchgrass and revealed its functional role in heat stress signal transduction and heat tolerance. PvHsf03 and PvHsf25 were found to play critical roles in the early and late stages of switchgrass response to heat stress, respectively, while HsfB mainly showed a negative response to heat stress. Additionally, ectopic expression of PvHsf03 significantly increased the heat resistance of Arabidopsis seedlings. This research provides a notable foundation for studying the regulatory network in response to deleterious environments and for further excavating tolerance genes in switchgrass.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rajyalakshmi Meduri, Linda S. Rubio, Suman Mohajan, David S. Gross
Summary: This study investigated the impact of aliphatic dialcohols on cellular transcription and nucleosome occupancy. The results showed that these dialcohols can inhibit transcription of different genes, leading to increased nucleosome density and loss of Pol II and Pol III transcription.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biology
David M. Garcia, Edgar A. Campbell, Christopher M. Jakobson, Mitsuhiro Tsuchiya, Ethan A. Shaw, Acadia L. DiNardo, Matt Kaeberlein, Daniel F. Jarosz
Summary: This study reveals a natural example of how the interplay between growth and lifespan can be epigenetically controlled through a RNA-modifying enzyme acting as a prion in yeast cells, leading to increased proliferation rates but shortened lifespan. The epigenetic state, [B/G(+)], allows cells to heritably alter their translational program, resulting in differential synthesis of proteins that regulate proliferation and aging.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Susanna Boronat, Margarita Cabrera, Montserrat Vega, Jorge Alcala, Silvia Salas-Pino, Rafael R. Daga, Jose Ayte, Elena Hidalgo
Summary: During heat shock, the protein quality control system promotes cellular adaptation strategies by forming protein aggregate-like centers. This study compares two yeast model systems and demonstrates that mild heat shock triggers reversible formation of these centers, while severe heat shock leads to the formation of cytosolic and nuclear aggregates. These findings show that different yeasts use similar strategies to adapt and survive heat shock, and indicate that aggregate-like formation is a general cellular mechanism to delay protein degradation and aid stress recovery.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Hokuto Ohtsuka, Mikuto Kobayashi, Takafumi Shimasaki, Teppei Sato, Genki Akanuma, Yasuyuki Kitaura, Yoko Otsubo, Akira Yamashita, Hirofumi Aiba
Summary: This study demonstrates that magnesium depletion extends the lifespan of yeast through the Ecl1 gene family and the general amino acid control pathway. The Ecl1 family genes regulate ribosome amount and contribute to longevity by activating the evolutionarily conserved GAAC pathway.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Juan Facundo Gulias, Florencia Niesi, Martin Aran, Susana Correa-Garcia, Mariana Bermudez-Moretti
Summary: Aging is a gradual decline in physiological integrity, which impairs functionality and increases mortality susceptibility. Dietary restriction, a known intervention to slow down aging, mimics nutrient scarcity without causing malnutrition. This study investigated the role of the transcription factor Gcn4 in the aging process of S. cerevisiae cells. The absence of Gcn4 led to various physiological changes, including increased mitochondrial activity and reactive oxygen species accumulation. Additionally, the mutant cells exhibited reduced ethanol production and lower levels of trehalose and free amino acids, disrupting cellular homeostasis and ultimately leading to a shortened lifespan.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hokuto Ohtsuka, Takanori Kato, Teppei Sato, Takafumi Shimasaki, Takaaki Kojima, Hirofumi Aiba
MOLECULAR GENETICS AND GENOMICS
(2019)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yuki Imai, Takafumi Shimasaki, Chihiro Enokimura, Hokuto Ohtsuka, Satoshi Tsubouchi, Kunio Ihara, Hirofumi Aiba
BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2020)
Article
Cell Biology
Takafumi Shimasaki, Keisuke Okamoto, Hokuto Ohtsuka, Hirofumi Aiba
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hokuto Ohtsuka, Takafumi Shimasaki, Hirofumi Aiba
Summary: This mini-review summarizes over 70 genes involved in the chronological lifespan of Schizosaccharomyces pombe and describes the signal transduction pathways affecting lifespan extension. These pathways and genes play important roles in regulating the chronological lifespan extension in S. pombe.
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Hokuto Ohtsuka, Takafumi Shimasaki, Hirofumi Aiba
Summary: The mechanism of longevity control in unicellular organisms shows evolutionary conservation with higher multicellular organisms. Research on chronological lifespan of fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe has identified multiple compounds, nutrient restrictions, and genes that extend lifespan. These mechanisms involve nutritional response, stress responses, autophagy, and other pathways, suggesting a link between lifespan control and resource management in unicellular organisms.
Article
Microbiology
Hokuto Ohtsuka, Mikuto Kobayashi, Takafumi Shimasaki, Teppei Sato, Genki Akanuma, Yasuyuki Kitaura, Yoko Otsubo, Akira Yamashita, Hirofumi Aiba
Summary: This study demonstrates that magnesium depletion extends the lifespan of yeast through the Ecl1 gene family and the general amino acid control pathway. The Ecl1 family genes regulate ribosome amount and contribute to longevity by activating the evolutionarily conserved GAAC pathway.
Article
Cell Biology
Kotaro Matsui, Keisuke Okamoto, Tomoka Hasegawa, Hokuto Ohtsuka, Takafumi Shimasaki, Kunio Ihara, Yuhei Goto, Kazuhiro Aoki, Hirofumi Aiba
Summary: The nonsense mutation in the ksg1(+) gene of fission yeast was found to reduce the amount and activity of the Ksg1 protein, resulting in increased lifespan. However, the specific substrate responsible for the long-lived phenotype of the ksg1 mutation has not been identified yet. Additionally, genetic analysis suggested that Pck2 may be involved in the lifespan extension caused by ksg1 mutation.
Review
Microbiology
Hokuto Ohtsuka, Kazuki Imada, Takafumi Shimasaki, Hirofumi Aiba
Summary: The fission yeast S. pombe adapts to the environment and survives in nutrient-starved conditions through sexual differentiation and extension of the chronological lifespan. Spore formation in S. pombe is highly resistant to stresses and spores can survive for a long period. This minireview focuses on the molecular mechanisms of spore formation induced by starvation and highlights the presence of an effective survival mechanism.
Article
Cell Biology
Hokuto Ohtsuka, Hiroki Sakata, Yuto Kitazaki, Masanobu Tada, Takafumi Shimasaki, Yoko Otsubo, Yasukichi Maekawa, Mikuto Kobayashi, Kazuki Imada, Akira Yamashita, Hirofumi Aiba
Summary: In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the ecl family genes are induced by various signals including nutrient starvation and environmental stress. The induction of these genes is important for cell viability and sexual differentiation. This study identifies phosphate starvation as a specific condition that induces the ecl3+ gene, providing insights into the regulation of these genes and their contribution to cellular responses and starvation adaptations.
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hokuto Ohtsuka, Yoko Otsubo, Takafumi Shimasaki, Akira Yamashita, Hirofumi Aiba
Summary: The ecl family genes in Schizosaccharomyces pombe are positive regulators of chronological lifespan and involved in various biological processes such as nutritional starvation and stress resistance.
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Teppei Maruyama, Kanako Hayashi, Kotaro Matsui, Yasukichi Maekawa, Takafumi Shimasaki, Hokuto Ohtsuka, Shigeaki Saitoh, Hirofumi Aiba
Summary: Based on the experimental results, it was found that Ght5 plays a major role in glucose uptake in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and the deletion mutant of Ght5 showed a significant lifespan extension.
JOURNAL OF GENERAL AND APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hokuto Ohtsuka, Takuma Matsumoto, Takahiro Mochida, Takafumi Shimasaki, Masatoshi Shibuya, Yoshihiko Yamamoto, Hirofumi Aiba
Summary: Tschimganine inhibits growth and extends the chronological lifespan in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. However, its analog, Mochimganine, exhibits a significantly weaker growth inhibition effect while still being able to extend the lifespan.
BIOSCIENCE BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Hokuto Ohtsuka, Takafumi Shimasaki, Hirofumi Aiba
Summary: Leucine (Leu) is an essential branched-chain amino acid in animals, including humans. Although Leu auxotrophy is inconvenient for the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, it has enhanced its usefulness as a model organism in laboratories. Leu auxotrophy induces intracellular responses and phenotypes different from those of the prototrophic strains, which necessitates caution in the analysis and interpretation of experimental results. Understanding the intracellular responses caused by Leu auxotrophy can contribute to the research using this model organism and to the understanding of intracellular responses in higher organisms. This minireview summarizes the latest research on leucine metabolism mechanism and starvation response in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces, along with the identification of the ilv3+ gene involved in leucine synthesis.
FEMS YEAST RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Tatsuhiro Kurauchi, Kotaro Matsui, Takafumi Shimasaki, Hokuto Ohtsuka, Satoshi Tsubouchi, Kunio Ihara, Motohiro Tani, Hirofumi Aiba
Summary: Yeast is a suitable model system for analyzing lifespan mechanisms. In this study, a mutant with an extended chronological lifespan was isolated, and a missense mutation in the sur2(+) gene was identified as being responsible. Loss of sur2 function was found to result in an extended chronological lifespan, and the effect of caloric restriction, a well-known lifespan-extending signal, was suggested to be dependent on the sur2(+) gene.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS
(2021)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Hokuto Ohtsuka, Takafumi Shimasaki, Hirofumi Aiba
Summary: Studies have shown that sulfur plays essential roles in biological molecules and different yeast models exhibit varying sulfur metabolism pathways. Sulfur starvation induces various cellular responses in fission yeast, contributing to a better understanding of stress and lifespan regulation caused by sulfur depletion.
FEMS YEAST RESEARCH
(2021)