Investigating Mechanisms By Which Some Gut Microbes May Shorten Fly Life Span

The lifespan of flies is especially sensitive to intestinal function, making them perhaps an interesting model in which to study mechanisms by which changes in the gut microbiome can affect health and longevity. It is clear that the gut microbiome changes with age, and different microbial populations can affect health in different ways. At the high level, it is thought that much of the harm done in later life is mediated by increased chronic inflammation, a reaction to harmful species or the metabolites that they produce. At the detail level, a lot of work remains to be accomplished when it comes to mapping the biochemistry underlying the way in which the presence of specific microbes can provoke a maladaptive response. In the work here, the issue appears a little more than just an immune response, extending to stem cell function and other determinants of metabolism. Commensal microbes in animals have a profound impact on tissue homeostasis, stress resistance, and ageing. We previously showed in Drosophila melanogaster that Acetobacter persici is a member of the gut microbiota that promotes ageing and shortens fly lifespan. However, the molecular mechanism by which this specific bacterial species changes lifespan and physiology remains unclear. The difficulty in studying longevity using gnotobiotic flies is the high risk of contamination during ageing. To overcome this technical challenge, we used a bacteria-conditioned diet enriched with bacterial products and cell ...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs