Cytoplasmic and mitochondrial aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases differentially regulate lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans

Tianlin Zheng; Qiang Luo; Chengxuan Han; Jiejun Zhou; Jianke Gong; Lei Chun; X Z Shawn Xu; Jianfeng Liu

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2022.105266

Cytoplasmic and mitochondrial aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases differentially regulate lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans

iScience. 2022 Oct 3;25(11):105266. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105266. eCollection 2022 Nov 18.

Authors

Tianlin Zheng¹, Qiang Luo¹, Chengxuan Han¹, Jiejun Zhou¹, Jianke Gong^{1

2}, Lei Chun¹, X Z Shawn Xu², Jianfeng Liu¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Life Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of MOE, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.
² Life Sciences Institute and Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.

Abstract

Reducing the rate of translation promotes longevity in multiple organisms, representing a conserved mechanism for lifespan extension. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs) catalyze the loading of amino acids to their cognate tRNAs, thereby playing an essential role in translation. Mutations in ARS genes are associated with various human diseases. However, little is known about the role of ARSs in aging, particularly whether and how these genes regulate lifespan. Here, using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model, we systematically characterized the role of all three types of ARS genes in lifespan regulation, including mitochondrial, cytoplasmic, and cyto-mito bifunctional ARS genes. We found that, as expected, RNAi knockdown of mitochondrial ARS genes extended lifespan. Surprisingly, knocking down cytoplasmic or cyto-mito bifunctional ARS genes shortened lifespan, though such treatment reduced the rate of translation. These results reveal opposing roles of mitochondrial and cytoplasmic ARSs in lifespan regulation, demonstrating that inhibiting translation may not always extend lifespan.

Keywords: Cell biology; Molecular biology.