Project description:Mitochondrial activity is critical for cellular vitality and organismal longevity, yet underlying regulatory mechanisms spanning these different levels of organization remain elusive. From RNAi screens for mitochondrial biogenesis, we discovered NFYB-1, a subunit of the NF-Y transcriptional complex, as an ancestral regulator of mitochondrial function. NFYB-1 loss leads to reduced mitochondrial gene expression and oxygen consumption, mitochondrial fragmentation, disruption of mitochondrial stress pathways, and abolition of organismal longevity triggered by mitochondrial impairment. Multi-omics analysis reveals that NFYB-1 is a potent repressor of the ER stress response, as well as lysosomal prosaposin. Surprisingly, limiting prosaposin expression alters ceramide and cardiolipin pools, restores mitochondrial fusion, gene expression and longevity. Thus, the NFYB-1/prosaposin axis coordinates lysosomal to mitochondrial communication to enhance cellular mitochondrial function and organismal health.
Project description:Mitochondrial activity is critical for cellular vitality and organismal longevity, yet underlying regulatory mechanisms spanning these different levels of organization remain elusive. From RNAi screens for mitochondrial biogenesis, we discovered NFYB-1, a subunit of the NF-Y transcriptional complex, as an ancestral regulator of mitochondrial function. NFYB-1 loss leads to reduced mitochondrial gene expression and oxygen consumption, mitochondrial fragmentation, disruption of mitochondrial stress pathways, and abolition of organismal longevity triggered by mitochondrial impairment. Multi-omics analysis reveals that NFYB-1 is a potent repressor of the ER stress response, as well as lysosomal prosaposin. Surprisingly, limiting prosaposin expression alters ceramide and cardiolipin pools, restores mitochondrial fusion, gene expression and longevity. Thus, the NFYB-1/prosaposin axis coordinates lysosomal to mitochondrial communication to enhance cellular mitochondrial function and organismal health.
Project description:Lysosomes are active sites to integrate cellular metabolism and signal transduction. A collection of proteins enriched at lysosomes mediate these metabolic and signaling functions. Both lysosomal metabolism and lysosomal signaling have been linked with longevity regulation; however, how lysosomes adjust their protein composition to accommodate this regulation remains unclear. Using large-scale proteomic profiling, we systemically profiled lysosome-enriched proteomes in association with different longevity mechanisms. We further discovered the lysosomal recruitment of AMPK and nucleoporin proteins and their requirements for longevity in response to increased lysosomal lipolysis. Through comparative proteomic analyses of lysosomes from different tissues and labeled with different markers, we discovered lysosomal heterogeneity across tissues as well as the specific enrichment of the Ragulator complex on Cystinosin positive lysosomes. Together, this work uncovers lysosomal proteome heterogeneity at different levels and provides resources for understanding the contribution of lysosomal proteome dynamics in modulating signal transduction, organelle crosstalk and organism longevity.
Project description:Lysosomes are active sites to integrate cellular metabolism and signal transduction. A collection of proteins enriched at lysosomes mediate these metabolic and signaling functions. Both lysosomal metabolism and lysosomal signaling have been linked with longevity regulation; however, how lysosomes adjust their protein composition to accommodate this regulation remains unclear. Using large-scale proteomic profiling, we systemically profiled lysosome-enriched proteomes in association with different longevity mechanisms. We further discovered the lysosomal recruitment of AMPK and nucleoporin proteins and their requirements for longevity in response to increased lysosomal lipolysis. Through comparative proteomic analyses of lysosomes from different tissues and labeled with different markers, we discovered lysosomal heterogeneity across tissues as well as the specific enrichment of the Ragulator complex on Cystinosin positive lysosomes. Together, this work uncovers lysosomal proteome heterogeneity at different levels and provides resources for understanding the contribution of lysosomal proteome dynamics in modulating signal transduction, organelle crosstalk and organism longevity.
Project description:<p>Lysosomes are key cellular organelles that metabolize extra- and intra-cellular substrates. Alterations in lysosomal metabolism are implicated in aging-associated metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. However, how lysosomal metabolism actively coordinates the metabolic and nervous systems to regulate aging remains unclear. Here, we report a fat-to-neuron lipid signaling pathway induced by lysosomal metabolism and its longevity promoting role in <em>Caenorhabditis elegans</em>. We discovered that induced lysosomal lipolysis in peripheral fat storage tissue up-regulates the neuropeptide signaling pathway in the nervous system to promote longevity. This cell-non-autonomous regulation is mediated by a 47 specific polyunsaturated fatty acid, dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) and LBP-3 lipid chaperone protein transporting from the fat storage tissue to neurons. LBP-3 binds to DGLA, and acts through NHR-49 nuclear receptor and NLP-11 neuropeptide in neurons to extend lifespan. These results reveal lysosomes as a signaling hub to coordinate metabolism and aging, and lysosomal signaling mediated inter-tissue communication in promoting longevity.</p>
Project description:Cells respond to mitochondrial energetic stress with rapid activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which acutely inhibits anabolism and stimulates catabolism. AMPK also induces sustained transcriptional reprogramming of metabolism. The TFEB transcription factor is a major effector of AMPK signals, inducing lysosome genes following energetic stress. Yet the molecular mechanism underlying how AMPK activates TFEB remains unresolved. We demonstrate here that AMPK directly phosphorylates five conserved serine residues in FNIP1, which suppresses the function of the FLCN/FNIP1 RagC GAP complex, in turn controlling TFEB lysosomal localization. We demonstrate that FNIP1 phosphorylation is required for AMPK to induce nuclear translocation of TFEB, which is fully separable from AMPK control of canonical mTORC1 signaling. Using a non-phosphorylatable allele of FNIP1, we show that in parallel to lysosomal biogenesis, AMPK induces mitochondrial biogenesis via TFEB-dependent induction of PGC1a mRNA. This signaling from mitochondrial stress is also independent of amino-acid control of the Rags and TFEB, which still proceed normally in cells bearing the AMPK-non phosphorylatable allele of FNIP1. Taken together, mitochondrial energetic stress triggers AMPK/FNIP1-dependent TFEB nuclear translocation, inducing transcriptional waves of lysosomal and mitochondrial biogenesis.
Project description:Across eukaryotic species, mild mitochondrial stress can have beneficial effects on the lifespan of organisms. Mitochondrial dysfunction activates an unfolded protein response (UPRmt), a stress signaling mechanism designed to ensure mitochondrial homeostasis. Perturbation of mitochondria during larval development in C. elegans not only delays aging but also maintains UPRmt signaling, suggesting an epigenetic mechanism that modulates both longevity and mitochondrial proteostasis throughout life. Here we identify the conserved histone lysine demethylases jmjd-1.2/PHF8 and jmjd-3.1/JMJD3 as positive regulators of lifespan in response to mitochondrial dysfunction across species. Reduction-of-function of the demethylases potently suppresses longevity and UPRmt induction while gain-of-function is sufficient to extend lifespan in an UPRmt-dependent manner. A systems genetics approach in the BXD mouse reference population further indicated conserved roles of the mammalian orthologs in longevity and UPRmt signaling. These findings illustrate an evolutionary conserved epigenetic mechanism that determines the rate of aging downstream of mitochondrial perturbations.
Project description:Lysosomes are central platforms for not only the degradation of macromolecules but also the integration of multiple signaling pathways. However, whether and how lysosomes mediate the mitochondrial stress response (MSR) remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that lysosomal acidification via the vacuolar H+-ATPase (v-ATPase) is essential for the transcriptional activation of the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt). Mitochondrial stress stimulates v-ATPase-mediated lysosomal activation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), which then directly phosphorylates the MSR transcription factor, activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4). Disruption of mTORC1-dependent ATF4 phosphorylation blocks the UPRmt, but not other similar stress responses, such as the UPRER. Finally, ATF4 phosphorylation downstream of the v-ATPase/mTORC1 signaling is indispensable for sustaining mitochondrial redox homeostasis and protecting cells from reactive oxygen species (ROS)-associated cell death upon mitochondrial stress. Thus, v-ATPase/mTORC1-mediated ATF4 phosphorylation via lysosomes links mitochondrial stress to UPRmt activation and mitochondrial function resilience.
Project description:Low energy states delay aging in multiple species, yet mechanisms coordinating energetics and longevity across tissues remain poorly defined. The conserved energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and its corresponding phosphatase calcineurin modulate longevity via the ‘CREB regulated transcriptional coactivator (CRTC)-1 in C. elegans. We show that CRTC-1 specifically uncouples AMPK/calcineurin mediated effects on lifespan from pleiotropic side effects by reprogramming mitochondrial and metabolic function. Strikingly, this pro-longevity metabolic state is regulated cell-nonautonomously by CRTC-1 in the nervous system. CRTC-1/CREB act antagonistically with the functional PPARα ortholog, NHR-49 to promote distinct peripheral metabolic programs. Neuronal CRTC-1 drives mitochondrial fragmentation in distal tissues and suppresses the effect of AMPK on systemic mitochondrial metabolism and longevity via a cell-nonautonomous catecholamine signal. These results demonstrate that transcriptional control of neuronal signals can override enzymatic regulation of metabolism in peripheral tissues. Central perception of energetic state therefore represents a target to promote healthy aging.
Project description:Mitochondrial and lysosomal functions are intimately linked and are critical for cellular homeostasis, as evidenced by the fact that cellular senescence, aging, and multiple prominent diseases are associated with concomitant dysfunction of both organelles. However, it is not well understood how the two important organelles are regulated. Transcription factor EB (TFEB) is the master regulator of lysosomal function and is also implicated in regulating mitochondrial function; however, the mechanism underlying the maintenance of both organelles remains to be fully elucidated. Here, by comprehensive transcriptome analysis and subsequent chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP)-quantitative PCR (qPCR), we identified hexokinase domain containing 1 (HKDC1), which is known to function in the glycolysis pathway as a direct TFEB target. Moreover, HKDC1 was upregulated in both mitochondrial and lysosomal stress in a TFEB-dependent manner, and its function was critical for the maintenance of both organelles under stress conditions. Mechanistically, the TFEB–HKDC1 axis was essential for PINK1/Parkin-dependent mitophagy via its initial step, PINK1 stabilization. In addition, the functions of HKDC1 and voltage-dependent anion channels (VDACs), with which HKDC1 interacts, were essential for the clearance of damaged lysosomes and mitochondria-lysosome contact.Interestingly, the kinase regulated mitophagy and lysosomal repair independently from its function in glycolysis. Furthermore, loss function of HKDC1 accelerated DNA damage–induced cellular senescence with the accumulation of hyperfused mitochondria and damaged lysosomes. Our results show that HKDC1, a novel factor downstream of TFEB, maintains both mitochondrial and lysosomal homeostasis, which is critical to prevent cellular senescence.