Project description:Here, we performed a longitudinal study of genome-wide gene expression in the short-lived killifish Nothobranchius furzeri (MZM-0410 strain) and correlated variations in transcript abundance at two time points during early adult life with age at death.
Project description:The transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPα) regulates cell differentiation, proliferation, and function in various tissues, including the liver, adipose tissue, skin, lung, and hematopoietic system. Studies in rats, mice, humans, and chickens have shown that CEBPA mRNA undergoes alternative translation initiation, producing three C/EBPα protein isoforms. Two of these isoforms act as full-length transcription factors with N-terminal transactivation domains and a C-terminal dimerization and DNA-binding domain. The third isoform is an N-terminally truncated variant, translated from a downstream AUG codon. It competes with full-length isoforms for DNA binding, thereby antagonizing their activity. Expression of the truncated C/EBPα isoform depends on the initial translation of a short upstream open reading frame (uORF) in CEBPA mRNA and subsequent re-initiation at a downstream AUG codon, a process stimulated by mTORC1 signaling. We have generated C/EBPα ΔuORF mutant Nothobranchius furzeri fish and demonstrated that this genetic modification significantly extended both the median and maximal lifespan and improved the healthspan of males. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed an upregulation of genes and pathways that are associated with healthspan and lifespan regulation in other species.