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Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance of longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans

Author

Listed:
  • Eric L. Greer

    (Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Drive
    Children’s Hospital)

  • Travis J. Maures

    (Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Drive)

  • Duygu Ucar

    (Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Drive)

  • Anna G. Hauswirth

    (Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Drive)

  • Elena Mancini

    (Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Drive)

  • Jana P. Lim

    (Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Drive)

  • Bérénice A. Benayoun

    (Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Drive)

  • Yang Shi

    (Children’s Hospital)

  • Anne Brunet

    (Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Drive)

Abstract

Chromatin modifiers regulate lifespan in several organisms, raising the question of whether changes in chromatin states in the parental generation could be incompletely reprogrammed in the next generation and thereby affect the lifespan of descendants. The histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) complex, composed of ASH-2, WDR-5 and the histone methyltransferase SET-2, regulates Caenorhabditis elegans lifespan. Here we show that deficiencies in the H3K4me3 chromatin modifiers ASH-2, WDR-5 or SET-2 in the parental generation extend the lifespan of descendants up until the third generation. The transgenerational inheritance of lifespan extension by members of the ASH-2 complex is dependent on the H3K4me3 demethylase RBR-2, and requires the presence of a functioning germline in the descendants. Transgenerational inheritance of lifespan is specific for the H3K4me3 methylation complex and is associated with epigenetic changes in gene expression. Thus, manipulation of specific chromatin modifiers only in parents can induce an epigenetic memory of longevity in descendants.

Suggested Citation

  • Eric L. Greer & Travis J. Maures & Duygu Ucar & Anna G. Hauswirth & Elena Mancini & Jana P. Lim & Bérénice A. Benayoun & Yang Shi & Anne Brunet, 2011. "Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance of longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans," Nature, Nature, vol. 479(7373), pages 365-371, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:479:y:2011:i:7373:d:10.1038_nature10572
    DOI: 10.1038/nature10572
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    Cited by:

    1. Noa Deshe & Yifat Eliezer & Lihi Hoch & Eyal Itskovits & Eduard Bokman & Shachaf Ben-Ezra & Alon Zaslaver, 2023. "Inheritance of associative memories and acquired cellular changes in C. elegans," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    2. Xinhao Hou & Mingjing Xu & Chengming Zhu & Jianing Gao & Meili Li & Xiangyang Chen & Cheng Sun & Björn Nashan & Jianye Zang & Ying Zhou & Shouhong Guang & Xuezhu Feng, 2023. "Systematic characterization of chromodomain proteins reveals an H3K9me1/2 reader regulating aging in C. elegans," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-19, December.
    3. Marianne Lønnebotn & Natalia El-Merhie & John W. Holloway & William Horsnell & Susanne Krauss-Etschmann & Francisco Gómez Real & Cecilie Svanes, 2018. "Environmental Impact on Health across Generations: Policy Meets Biology. A Review of Animal and Human Models," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-16, December.

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