Genome-wide analysis of germline signaling genes regulating longevity and innate immunity in the nematode Pristionchus pacificus.

ABSTRACT: Removal of the reproductive system of many animals including fish, flies, nematodes, mice and humans can increase lifespan through mechanisms largely unknown. The abrogation of the germline in Caenorhabditis elegans increases longevity by 60% due to a signal emitted from the somatic gonad. Apart from increased longevity, germline-less C. elegans is also resistant to other environmental stressors such as feeding on bacterial pathogens. However, the evolutionary conservation of this pathogen resistance, its genetic basis and an understanding of genes involved in producing this extraordinary survival phenotype are currently unknown. To study these evolutionary aspects we used the necromenic nematode Pristionchus pacificus, which is a genetic model system used in comparison to C. elegans. By a

SUBMITTER: Rae R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3415453 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature