mRNA Quality Control in the Aging of Nematode Worms

The nematode worm species Caenorhabditis elegans widely used in the laboratory is far removed from human biochemistry, but nonetheless there is much that can be learned about cellular mechanisms relevant to the aging of mammals. Here researchers review what is known of the role of messenger RNA (mRNA) quality control mechanisms in the aging of nematodes. mRNA is produced from gene sequences in the process of transcription, but every operation in the cell is subject to some level of error and happenstance damage to molecular structure. Thus quality control systems must exist to ensure that broken mRNA molecules do not lead to harmful outcomes, such as the production of broken, toxic proteins. Aging is accompanied by the gradual decline in cellular and organismal fitness. At the macromolecular level, impaired protein homeostasis (proteostasis) and genome integrity are key features of aging. The age-dependent deteriorative changes are interconnected with each other to decrease the lifespan and increase the incidence of age-associated diseases, which eventually lead to death. Similar to other species, C. elegans exhibits age-associated changes such as the reduction in genome stability, proteostasis, lipid homeostasis, and immunity. Recent studies have indicated that RNA quality also declines during aging in C. elegans. Eukaryotes are equipped with homeostatic systems that are crucial for the maintenance of mRNA quality, which is regulated by diverse surveillance ...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs