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Neuron- Specific Requirement of Autophagy Gene atg-18 for Lifespan and Dauer Morphogenesis of daf-2 Mutant C. elegans

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Date Issued:
2015
Summary:
We recently discovered that autophagy, a conserved lysosomal degradation pathway, is necessary for increased lifespan and dauer morphogenesis of daf-2 mutant Caenorhabditis elegans. daf-2 encodes the worm orthologue of an insulin-like growth factor receptor. Moreover, we found neuronal autophagy activity is sufficient to fulfill this requirement. In this study we used the unc-42 promoter to express autophagy gene atg-18 in a subset of C. elegans neurons to examine whether autophagy activity in these neurons is sufficient to execute its function in extension of lifespan and completion of dauer morphogenesis in daf-2 mutants. Here we show expression of atg-18 in these ons fails to rescue the effect of atg-18 mutations on the longevity and dauer morphogenesis of daf-2 mutant worms, indicating that the requirement of neuronal autophagy in C. elegans for these effects is specific to neurons where unc-42 promoter is not active.
Title: Neuron- Specific Requirement of Autophagy Gene atg-18 for Lifespan and Dauer Morphogenesis of daf-2 Mutant C. elegans.
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Name(s): Phillips, Aileen
Jia, Kailiang
Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Thesis
Date Created: Spring 2015
Date Issued: 2015
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: pdf
Extent: 20 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: We recently discovered that autophagy, a conserved lysosomal degradation pathway, is necessary for increased lifespan and dauer morphogenesis of daf-2 mutant Caenorhabditis elegans. daf-2 encodes the worm orthologue of an insulin-like growth factor receptor. Moreover, we found neuronal autophagy activity is sufficient to fulfill this requirement. In this study we used the unc-42 promoter to express autophagy gene atg-18 in a subset of C. elegans neurons to examine whether autophagy activity in these neurons is sufficient to execute its function in extension of lifespan and completion of dauer morphogenesis in daf-2 mutants. Here we show expression of atg-18 in these ons fails to rescue the effect of atg-18 mutations on the longevity and dauer morphogenesis of daf-2 mutant worms, indicating that the requirement of neuronal autophagy in C. elegans for these effects is specific to neurons where unc-42 promoter is not active.
Identifier: FA00003652 (IID)
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
Thesis (B.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, 2016.
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Sublocation: Digital Library
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00003652
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Host Institution: FAU

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