Abstract
The free-living roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans has been extensively used in aging research because its short life span, its inexpensive laboratory growth and its easy genetic manipulation permitting an enormous amount of mutants. Aging studies using this organism as model have demonstrated that many environmental factors, including food availability, temperature, population density and drugs affect C. elegans life span. One of these factors is coenzyme Q, that has been associated with aging in this organism through its activity in the control of mitochondrial metabolism. The use of mutants in the synthesis of coenzyme Q in this organism associated a key role of clk-1 in coenzyme Q synthesis and longevity.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Arroyo A, Santos-Ocana C, Ruiz-Ferrer M, Padilla S, Gavilan A, Rodriguez-Aguilera JC, Navas P (2006) Coenzyme Q is irreplaceable by demethoxy-coenzyme Q in plasma membrane of Caenorhabditis elegans. FEBS Lett 580(7):1740–1746. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.febslet.2006.02.025
Asencio C, Rodriguez-Aguilera JC, Ruiz-Ferrer M, Vela J, Navas P (2003) Silencing of ubiquinone biosynthesis genes extends life span in Caenorhabditis elegans. FASEB J 17(9):1135–1137. https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.02-1022fje
Braeckman BP, Houthoofd K, Brys K, Lenaerts I, De Vreese A, Van Eygen S, Raes H, Vanfleteren JR (2002) No reduction of energy metabolism in Clk mutants. Mech Ageing Dev 123(11):1447–1456
Branicky R, Nguyen PA, Hekimi S (2006) Uncoupling the pleiotropic phenotypes of clk-1 with tRNA missense suppressors in Caenorhabditis elegans. Mol Cell Biol 26(10):3976–3985. https://doi.org/10.1128/mcb.26.10.3976-3985.2006
Burgess J, Hihi AK, Benard CY, Branicky R, Hekimi S (2003) Molecular mechanism of maternal rescue in the clk-1 mutants of Caenorhabditis elegans. J Biol Chem 278(49):49555–49562. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M308507200
Cristina D, Cary M, Lunceford A, Clarke C, Kenyon C (2009) A regulated response to impaired respiration slows behavioral rates and increases lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS Genet 5(4):e1000450. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1000450
Ewbank JJ, Barnes TM, Lakowski B, Lussier M, Bussey H, Hekimi S (1997) Structural and functional conservation of the Caenorhabditis elegans timing gene clk-1. Science (New York, NY) 275(5302):980–983
Felkai S, Ewbank JJ, Lemieux J, Labbe JC, Brown GG, Hekimi S (1999) CLK-1 controls respiration, behavior and aging in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. EMBO J 18(7):1783–1792. https://doi.org/10.1093/emboj/18.7.1783
Fire A, Xu S, Montgomery MK, Kostas SA, Driver SE, Mello CC (1998) Potent and specific genetic interference by double-stranded RNA in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nature 391(6669):806–811. https://doi.org/10.1038/35888
Fischer A, Niklowitz P, Menke T, Doring F (2014) Promotion of growth by Coenzyme Q10 is linked to gene expression in C. elegans. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 452(4):920–927. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.09.016
Friedman DB, Johnson TE (1988) Three mutants that extend both mean and maximum life span of the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, define the age-1 gene. J Gerontol 43(4):B102–B109
Gavilan A, Asencio C, Cabello J, Rodriguez-Aguilera JC, Schnabel R, Navas P (2005) C. elegans knockouts in ubiquinone biosynthesis genes result in different phenotypes during larval development. Biofactors 25(1–4):21–29
Gems D, Partridge L (2013) Genetics of longevity in model organisms: debates and paradigm shifts. Annu Rev Physiol 75:621–644. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-physiol-030212-183712
Hekimi S, Boutis P, Lakowski B (1995) Viable maternal-effect mutations that affect the development of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 141(4):1351–1364
Hihi AK, Gao Y, Hekimi S (2002) Ubiquinone is necessary for Caenorhabditis elegans development at mitochondrial and non-mitochondrial sites. J Biol Chem 277(3):2202–2206. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M109034200
Hihi AK, Kebir H, Hekimi S (2003) Sensitivity of Caenorhabditis elegans clk-1 mutants to ubiquinone side-chain length reveals multiple ubiquinone-dependent processes. J Biol Chem 278(42):41013–41018. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M305034200
Ishii N, Senoo-Matsuda N, Miyake K, Yasuda K, Ishii T, Hartman PS, Furukawa S (2004) Coenzyme Q10 can prolong C. elegans lifespan by lowering oxidative stress. Mech Ageing Dev 125(1):41–46
Johnson TE, Hutchinson EW (1993) Absence of strong heterosis for life span and other life history traits in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 134(2):465–474
Jonassen T, Marbois BN, Kim L, Chin A, Xia YR, Lusis AJ, Clarke CF (1996) Isolation and sequencing of the rat Coq7 gene and the mapping of mouse Coq7 to chromosome 7. Arch Biochem Biophys 330(2):285–289. https://doi.org/10.1006/abbi.1996.0255
Jonassen T, Larsen PL, Clarke CF (2001) A dietary source of coenzyme Q is essential for growth of long-lived Caenorhabditis elegans clk-1 mutants. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 98(2):421–426. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.021337498
Jonassen T, Marbois BN, Faull KF, Clarke CF, Larsen PL (2002) Development and fertility in Caenorhabditis elegans clk-1 mutants depend upon transport of dietary coenzyme Q8 to mitochondria. J Biol Chem 277(47):45020–45027. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M204758200
Jonassen T, Davis DE, Larsen PL, Clarke CF (2003) Reproductive fitness and quinone content of Caenorhabditis elegans clk-1 mutants fed coenzyme Q isoforms of varying length. J Biol Chem 278(51):51735–51742. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M308760200
Kayser EB, Sedensky MM, Morgan PG, Hoppel CL (2004) Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation is defective in the long-lived mutant clk-1. J Biol Chem 279(52):54479–54486. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M403066200
Kenyon C (1997) Aging in C. elegans, vol 33. C. elegans, 2nd edn. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York
Kenyon C (2005) The plasticity of aging: insights from long-lived mutants. Cell 120(4):449–460. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2005.02.002
Kirchman PA, Kim S, Lai CY, Jazwinski SM (1999) Interorganelle signaling is a determinant of longevity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics 152(1):179–190
Larsen PL, Clarke CF (2002) Extension of life-span in Caenorhabditis elegans by a diet lacking coenzyme Q. Science (New York, NY) 295(5552):120–123. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1064653
Levavasseur F, Miyadera H, Sirois J, Tremblay ML, Kita K, Shoubridge E, Hekimi S (2001) Ubiquinone is necessary for mouse embryonic development but is not essential for mitochondrial respiration. J Biol Chem 276(49):46160–46164. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M108980200
Miyadera H, Amino H, Hiraishi A, Taka H, Murayama K, Miyoshi H, Sakamoto K, Ishii N, Hekimi S, Kita K (2001) Altered quinone biosynthesis in the long-lived clk-1 mutants of Caenorhabditis elegans. J Biol Chem 276(11):7713–7716. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.C000889200
Monaghan RM, Barnes RG, Fisher K, Andreou T, Rooney N, Poulin GB, Whitmarsh AJ (2015) A nuclear role for the respiratory enzyme CLK-1 in regulating mitochondrial stress responses and longevity. Nat Cell Biol 17(6):782–792. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb3170
Rattan SI (2001) Applying hormesis in aging research and therapy. Hum Exp Toxicol 20(6):281–285. discussion 293-284
Rea S (2001) CLK-1/Coq7p is a DMQ mono-oxygenase and a new member of the di-iron carboxylate protein family. FEBS Lett 509(3):389–394
Rodriguez-Aguilera JC, Asencio C, Ruiz-Ferrer M, Vela J, Navas P (2003) Caenorhabditis elegans ubiquinone biosynthesis genes. Biofactors 18(1–4):237–244
Sanchez-Blanco A, Rodriguez-Matellan A, Gonzalez-Paramas A, Gonzalez-Manzano S, Kim SK, Mollinedo F (2016) Dietary and microbiome factors determine longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans. Aging 8(7):1513–1539. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.101008
Schulz TJ, Zarse K, Voigt A, Urban N, Birringer M, Ristow M (2007) Glucose restriction extends Caenorhabditis elegans life span by inducing mitochondrial respiration and increasing oxidative stress. Cell Metab 6(4):280–293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2007.08.011
Timmons L, Fire A (1998) Specific interference by ingested dsRNA. Nature 395(6705):854. https://doi.org/10.1038/27579
Vajo Z, King LM, Jonassen T, Wilkin DJ, Ho N, Munnich A, Clarke CF, Francomano CA (1999) Conservation of the Caenorhabditis elegans timing gene clk-1 from yeast to human: a gene required for ubiquinone biosynthesis with potential implications for aging. Mamm Genome 10(10):1000–1004
Van Raamsdonk JM, Meng Y, Camp D, Yang W, Jia X, Benard C, Hekimi S (2010) Decreased energy metabolism extends life span in Caenorhabditis elegans without reducing oxidative damage. Genetics 185(2):559–571. https://doi.org/10.1534/genetics.110.115378
Wong A, Boutis P, Hekimi S (1995) Mutations in the clk-1 gene of Caenorhabditis elegans affect developmental and behavioral timing. Genetics 139(3):1247–1259
Yang W, Hekimi S (2010) A mitochondrial superoxide signal triggers increased longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS Biol 8(12):e1000556. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1000556
Yang W, Li J, Hekimi S (2007) A measurable increase in oxidative damage due to reduction in superoxide detoxification fails to shorten the life span of long-lived mitochondrial mutants of Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 177(4):2063–2074. https://doi.org/10.1534/genetics.107.080788
Yang YY, Gangoiti JA, Sedensky MM, Morgan PG (2009) The effect of different ubiquinones on lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans. Mech Ageing Dev 130(6):370–376. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mad.2009.03.003
Yang YY, Vasta V, Hahn S, Gangoiti JA, Opheim E, Sedensky MM, Morgan PG (2011) The role of DMQ(9) in the long-lived mutant clk-1. Mech Ageing Dev 132(6–7):331–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mad.2011.06.009
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Asencio, C. (2020). Coenzyme Q and Aging in C. elegans. In: López Lluch, G. (eds) Coenzyme Q in Aging. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45642-9_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45642-9_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-45641-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-45642-9
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)